Mystery wood

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Woodchipper

Woodchipper

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Mar 15, 2017
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I drilled this wood for a pen in the works. Cut to length, put in the chuck with pen jaws. Started to drill and it started to smoke! Had to drill a little bit at a time. Color is a dark brown, almost like dark chocolate. Any ideas?
20240906_183400.jpg
 
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Some Q's:

1: Did it seem like a stabilized blank (partially acrylic now)?
2: Was it an oily wood - that doesn't like drilling (getting the bits clogged)?
3: Are your drills sharp?

The blank looks nice - tight pour's, so maybe stabilized or a sealant??? Just throwing thoughts on the wall!

I'll vote for an oily wood/stabilized blank that did not like your drill bit.

If this was the worst of your day... you had a great day! šŸ¤£ šŸ¤£
 
Brad point bit is new, if that means anything. Got it at Woodcraft, probably in the bargain bin. That's all I can say.
End grain photo on the way. Not the best photo as it doesn't show the grain in detail.
20240907_102339.jpg
 
Aye...some kind of ebony I would say. Maybe Katalox, which can sometimes have a dark chocolate brown color. Possibly Gabon, but...that would have been expensive, even for a small piece from a bargain bin.
 
Light is a curly Q bulb. I'm also thinking some sort of ebony. No matter what. it was like drilling arbor vita. Now...wondering how it will act when turning it.
 
Woodchipper said:
Light is a curly Q bulb. I'm also thinking some sort of ebony. No matter what. it was like drilling arbor vita. Now...wondering how it will act when turning it.
Click to expand...
You mentioned it was a brad point bit. I wonder if that might be a factor.

While I like brad point bits, especially with certain kinds of materials, when it comes to initiating the cut, a brad point actually only cuts at two points at the ends of the flutes, and with the brad. With such a bit, it serves to go very slow at the start, and let those two points cut cleanly into the wood, before you really start to try and drill out a hole.

It may well be that the brad point is just the wrong bit for that kind of wood. You might try switching to a normal bit that will cut from the center to the outer edge of the bit, and that might prove more successful.
 
Hmm. Could be the brad point. I have a small section that I can drill with a regular bit. The crack eliminates it for a blank.
 
It could potentially be Ipe. The stuff I have is very hard and oily and a bit of a challenge to drill
 
My first thought was Katalox, but it does look like it could be Ipe now that Scott mentioned it. That's just based on the look of it, but I've never had either even come close to smoking from drilling them. I guess I'll throw my vote in for ebony, too. Ebony and snakewood are two that I avoid as I just don't trust them.

Indian Ebony?
 
Tried drilling with a 3/8 inch bit as it was close to the other bit. Same thing; got in about 1/2 inch and it started to smoke. Getting apprehensive about turning it.
 
Woodchipper said:
Tried drilling with a 3/8 inch bit as it was close to the other bit. Same thing; got in about 1/2 inch and it started to smoke. Getting apprehensive about turning it.
Click to expand...
How often are you clearing the flutes? Also, I guess another question too, what is the RPM of your bit?

IF you aren't clearing often enough, and further if your RPM is too high, that might be partly why its smoking.
 
This was turned at the lowest speed at 300 rpm. Didn't need to clear the flutes as it started smoking at about <1/2 inch into the blank. I quit then. I tossed the test piece as it is cracked and probably too short for a pen kit.
 
I was thinking maybe Ipe? It is one of the hardest woods according to the Janka scale. Of course Argentine Lignum Vitae is extremely hard as well. - Dave
 
Many thanks to the members! I glued the tube in and will turn it today or tomorrow...whenever I get up the energy. I'm holding my breath as to how it will turn considering how hard it was to drill. Will post a separate thread for this and photos if things go right.
Rodney Dangerfield: I was going to work. The wife said to call her if anything went right.
 
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