Wenge

I stopped in Yandles last week as I was driving past and picked up a couple pieces of Wenge.
I tried turning it but the finish I ended up with was terrible. I re-sanded it and tried everything... but I could not get it looking good at all.
Is this a difficult wood to turn and finish ?

I have turned Wenge and its a very open grained timber..... Sharp tools and light cuts worked for me, also the 100 grit skew was handy, as to a finish I used a gun stock finish after a wipe with methalated spirits.
What finish have you tried??

Thanks Mark,
I tried 4 costs of Melamine lacquer first and that looked bad. Sanded that back and then tried a CA finish but the open grain looked terrible. I was thinking of trying to fill the open grain with resin and turn it again.....Is there a "thick" finish i could use that will fill the gaps ?

Try using wood sealer first. Lightly sand and then put your two or three coats of melamine lacquer. Have a look at Phils "how to" on this forum.

http://www.penturners.co.uk/turning-pens/18901-achieving-success-melamine-finish.html

Kelvin

As a Kelvin said, sanding sealer first. You will need at least two or three coats of it.

If you have already sealed it with any product, that product will have penetrated, in the case of Wenge, about 0.5 millimetres, so sanding it will not allow any further penetration. As the others have said, from first turning then sanding sealer follow by an oil would have been better, here is an example of solid wenge in 5 coats of tung oil after having used sanding sealer to go from 600 grit to 1000 grit. (it is a gents cufflink and watch box.)

Dryness is crucial with this timber. Sealer sometimes necessary. Cleanliness next to vital in finishing.Not really my popular choice. I am definately very choosie with timbers these days,why fight city hall.

Peter.

I have a love/ hate relationship with wenge.

Good morning from Winnipeg,

I'm constantly looking for wood which exhibits unique quality or memorable figure - I thought I had just those qualities in some Wenge blanks I purchased. I could not have been further from the truth! When turned, the Wenge resembled Black Palm - a wide, grainy appearance. As usual, I blamed my own lack of ability (sanding, finishing, polishing) so I mounted the blank again and re-turned, then refinished it only to see the same results.



I have several Wenge blanks on my 'blank' shelves - they will stay there unless I can use them for something other than pen making.

Rod