Old black piano keys

[Nige52]

I'm in need of a small quantity of ebony, to make dowels. I was also considering African Blackwood or even Irish Bog Oak, regardless of species, the dowels need to be hard and as dark as possible.....

I've just noticed people selling old piano keys in ebony on ebay. Has anyone ever bought any and what do you make of them? The dowels I need to make need to be between 8 - 10mm diameter. I haven't drilled the holes yet so it's not critical, I've asked the sellers what size these keys are but so far nobody has replied....or do I just buy ebony pen blanks............

 

[paulm]

I've just measure the ebony keys on my piano and they're 13mm diameter

 

[Woody]

They are supposed to be very brittle to turn but that is only what I have heard why not ebonize some oak turn to size 000 wire wool dipper in vinegar rub it over the Oak and the oak will go jet black in a very short space of time

 

[Nige52]

Thanks for the replies...

I've looked at dying Oak but it's only a third as hard as Ebony, or thereabouts on the Janka scale? Maybe I should have said rod instead of dowels, as part of the rod/dowel is a working part and needs to be hard.......and as dark as possible....Hmmm, what to do, I like the sound of ebonising though. It looks like those piano keys would do the job too....

 

[PhillH]

Turners Retreat have ebony and blackwood pen blanks, not sure if the blackwood is hard enough for what you want though.

Just a thought.

 

[Twister]

how many u need ..size?

Steve

I have some lignum bits that are only 12mm thick so no use for anything else
they are pink so would need dyeing

 

[Buckeye]

Aren't piano keys just a veneer? I would go with African Blackwood if that is hard enough for you.

Peter

 

[chas_41_uk]

If you want "Black" and hard, I would advise going for African Blackwood rather than Ebony

 

[Penpal]

Black Piano keys are very suitable to see if the the white keys are Ivory easy to check they are off white with grain whorls in them naturally also the ivory is thin.

Peter.

 

[wm460]

Now you have every one curious as to what you want them for.

 

[kjmc1957]

HI
I'm pretty sure that this chap has ebony blanks

The Old Saw Mill, Burghley Park, London Road, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 2PA
Tel: 01780 757825

 

[keithkarl]

I'll be cutting up 100 Irish Bog Oak pen blanks for a friend in the States if you need some.

 

[bellringer]

Timber line have tonnes of ebony last time I went

 

[Penpal]

African Blackwood every time for me or cut blanks of ebony I have been devastated so many times with blocks of Ebony internal splits and shakes plus its priced like gold over here.

Peter.

 

[silver]

I think I have half dozen or so keys left over from a 1920 piano, they are not vaneered. and as Paul said I think mine are around 13 mm at one end and taper down to around 8 to 9mm the top of the key. (That's the bit they play with) the key that is..

I think my dad tried making a couple of slimlines with them but you have to drill to perfection and there is very little room for error on turning.

My dad had them given him from an old friend that was scrapping the piano due to a down size and couldn't sell the bloody thing for love more money..:nonono: The Ivory keys went somewhere else

 

[wm460]

I have dumped a few piano's over the years.

 

[Penpal]

My use of Ebony and ivory keys.

Peter.

 

[paulm]

Very nice Peter, I like those

 

[Treeesa]

My use of Ebony and ivory keys.

Peter.

Hi Peter

I love those

As it's still all new to me could you please tell me the name of the kit?

Thanks Andy

 

[Nige52]

Thank you all for your replies and offers, very good of you

I wanted the ebony for making spindles to run through fret-sawed cogs as a contrasting colour and for their hardness. I'm having a go at making various wooden working machines of the Heath Robinson variety (Anything to keep an olde git entertained), My new Proxxon fretsaw works well at cutting out intricate parts and I didn't want to use metal rods. I have found a solution to the ebony problem. I bought a B grade guitar fretboard off ebay, cut it up into slabs and then cut it again into square rods. I then put the blank into my Proxxon hobby lathe and turn the blank round (No, I don't sell Proxxon equipment or have any interest in them, I just think they're wonderful for small hobby stuff) I use an electronic vernier to determine the final diameter of the ebony and try my best to match it to my forstner drills LOL
I have an interest in medieval weapons such as in the photo, only in miniature as desktop ornaments, but working of course!