Replies

1. 
   mapleman | Jan 08, 2008 09:33am | #1

   Working with Wenge?

   Rule # 1: Watch out  for splinters!

   Rule # 2: Watch out for splinters!

   Rules #3-#10: Watch out for splinters!

   :)

   Lee

2. 
   philip | Jan 08, 2008 10:57am | #2

   You could get acclimatised to it by working at the pit face in a Welsh coal mine for a bit: it is dirty stuff but worth the extra effort in the end.
   I have never had a problem glueing it but I don't know what glues you guys have in the States.
   Using pencils or ball pens to mark out on it is difficult so I just use a fine white roller ball pen so the lines are easy to see.
   Chopping with inferior chisels will kill their edges in short time and it may pay you to increase the honing angle to around 35 degrees instead of the usual 30 degrees.
   It scrapes very nicely. If you are planing by hand you will find it to be abrasive and ordinary Stanley type irons die fast, but you can off set that by increasing the hone angle, or better, honeing ####back bevel of about 5 to 10 degrees. Heavy planes.....
   Use of power sanding machines like disc sanders : it burns easily so best to use a slower speed and open grits.
   Turns nicely but you get dirty...very dirty.
   Seems to have quite a high movement factor despite what the books say.
   It is very heavy.
   You will never be able to pick up a rough sawn board without getting at least one splinter-and they fester easily so best to pull them out right away.
   You might be sold Panga Panga instead of Wenge- virtually the same tree but they come from different parts of Africa. Panga Panga often is a lighter colour than Wenge . Solvent penetrating stains work nicely on them to even out the colour if necessary.
   Not good for your hollow square chisel morticer or your planer if it does not have carbide knives.
   Screws will need proper pilot holes and it is useful to candle wax when driving them in.
   In Mozambique a lot of it is burnt to make charcoal.
   Other than that it is nice enough.Philip Marcou

   
   

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   Edited 1/8/2008 3:01 am by philip

3. 
   Malcolm | Jan 08, 2008 12:49pm | #3

   Mr Marcou is right - a bi_ch to work, but worth the effort for an elite job. I've mostly used it as an ebony substitute in small dimensions for trim and accents. Saws and planes OK.

   Malcolm

   http://www.macpherson.co.nz
4. 
   KeithNewton | Jan 08, 2008 10:58pm | #4

   I agree with all of the above, and would like to add that I think it looks best if it is rift or QS. I did a project long ago which had some plain sawn lumber with really broad areas between the hard black, and more easily sanded light areas. The more I sanded to get through the grits, the more pitted the light areas became.

   My advice, is to try to avoid any boards with that broad pattern.

   Don't worry if it looks like yellow-pine when you first cut into it. It will turn black soon.

1. 
   MP72 | Jan 10, 2008 08:20am | #5

   Thanks for the advice. I cant wait to tackle the project based on your comments. I did get splinters just carrying it in the house. I also wanted to say that it is always a joy hearing from you Mr. Marcou.Mike

5. 
   Bobro | Jan 16, 2008 01:59pm | #6

   Did a fairly large cabinet of Wenge years ago- along with the splinters, which gave me a kind of burning/allergic sensation, and the dust (Welsh coal mine, hahaha!), I had a strange and very dangerous experience resawing on the bandsaw.

    

   I believe it's called "tension wood"- the board began to bend wildly, and very quickly, when I hit a certain part, the noise was very impressive. It felt and sounded almost like it was "exploding". Fortunately I stopped the saw in time. That board is probably still at my dad's place, come to think of it. Part of it bends, like a bow, away from straight, and can't be bent back by hand.

   As mentioned above, the light spots can be upleasant to work with. This particular piece which bent had a more of the lighter material,  proportionally, than usual.

   After this experience I went down to a music shop to take a look at some Warwick bass guitars which had Wenge necks. The guitar salesman didn't have the foggiest notion about wood, guitars or probably much of anything at all come to think of it,  but I took a close look and sure enough, the necks were laminated from several pieces, and were predominately dark wood, fine pieces.

   Anyway it's a fine wood, albeit kind of strange being kind of like strings of very hard wood mixed with softer. Good dark pieces will glue up or line up almost invisibly, which is nice for panels and for getting more milage from less wood in general.  Also, it is quite dishwasher resistent, a fact I'd rather not know but I can't keep my wife from occacionally putting the Wenge-handled knives into the dishwasher :-)

    

   -Cameron Bobro