# Ebony piano keys



## LOIBLB (Jan 18, 2017)

A piano repairman stopped by my shop and gave me some very old ebony piano keys.
I wonder how they could be used in pen making?
Thanks


----------



## Flyingwatchmaker (Jan 18, 2017)

Awesome coincidence, I just got given a piano worth of these, and was thinking the same.. possibly a herringbone or other pattern laminate was on my mind.. embedded in alumilite to bulk it out a bit even..


Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app


----------



## mecompco (Jan 18, 2017)

If you're thinking of making a pen from them, I've tried it--they are VERY brittle and have very little meat on them. Out of seven or eight, I finally got two drilled (on the lathe) w/7mm holes. Made a pen. A week later, both blanks had cracks. I have given up on making pens with them. Perhaps one could cut some laminations or something, and use them that way.

Regards,
Michael


----------



## CHARLES STOPCZYNSKI (Jan 18, 2017)

*Perhaps one could stabilize them*

If they're brittle, they should be very dry.  That might lend itself well to stabilization.  I'm not into stabilizing or casting.  

How about it penturners who are into the above?

Don't like seeing great material wasted.

Ebony might be on the "Endangered Species" list soon, as is Bubinga.


----------



## farmer (Jan 31, 2017)

*Elephant Ivory piano keys*



LOIBLB said:


> A piano repairman stopped by my shop and gave me some very old ebony piano keys.
> I wonder how they could be used in pen making?
> Thanks



Most of the cue makers I know cut them into stripes and use the ivory as a inlays in what is commonly known as slotted trim rings .

Most everyone I know that makes billets are using a live cutter on there tool post or they have mounted a router on a metal lathe ..

You can use a router table and cut a groove down all 4 sides of a block of wood the same thickness as the piano keys ...
Then inlay the strips of ivory ..

Soaking the ivory in wood hardener isn't a bad thought either ..

What is the exact thickness of the piano keys ?
and is there several keys all the same thickness ?

I find I have allot less blow outs with certain materials is I laminate them between wood before drilling.
And personally I rather machine or use a mill end then a aggressive drill bit .
That is the easy way or proper way...

You might take the keys to the trophy shop and have them laser cut the Ivory keys into washers ...

All the laser engravers or Laser CNC's have vacuum system or it will burn out the bulb or something ...
I have  wood veneers cut all the time at my local trophy shop 
Hope this info helps.


----------



## farmer (Jan 31, 2017)

*Elephant Ivory piano keys*



LOIBLB said:


> A piano repairman stopped by my shop and gave me some very old ebony piano keys.
> I wonder how they could be used in pen making?
> Thanks



Most of the cue makers I know cut them into stripes and use the ivory as a inlays in what is commonly known as slotted trim rings .

Most everyone I know that makes billets are using a live cutter on there tool post or they have mounted a router on a metal lathe ..
The billets slits or grooves can be cut to different thicknesses to hopefully match the piano keys thickness .
You could do a tux and use gaboon ebony 




You can use a router table and cut a groove down all 4 sides of a block of wood the same thickness as the piano keys ...
Then inlay the strips of ivory ..

Soaking the ivory in wood hardener isn't a bad thought either ..

What is the exact thickness of the piano keys ?
and is there several keys all the same thickness ?

I find I have allot less blow outs with certain materials is I laminate them between wood before drilling.
And personally I rather machine or use a mill end then a aggressive drill bit .
That is the easy way or proper way...

You might take the keys to the trophy shop and have them laser cut the Ivory keys into washers ...

All the laser engravers or Laser CNC's have vacuum system or it will burn out the bulb or something ...
I have  wood veneers cut all the time at my local trophy shop 
Hope this info helps.


----------



## Bob in SF (Jan 31, 2017)

I can visualize a scroll sawed or band sawed piano "black key" layout cast into ivory (or any) colored Alumilite, then turned as usual (with plenty of ventilation, goggles, respirator mask, etc) into something that may (or may not) resemble a piano - could be octaves of fun.


----------

