ebony and holly

[foxcues]

What`s the best way to keep the ebony dust out of holly inlays when doing a final sanding before spraying.

 

[Russell Cues]

The best way I found is after sanding, blow off as much as you can with the air compressor and then lightly wipe the cue with denatured alcohol. Not to much with the alcohol as you dont want to raise the grain. Either way it can be a challenge. Thats my 2 cents.

 

[WilleeCue]

What`s the best way to keep the ebony dust out of holly inlays when doing a final sanding before spraying.

Those Mr Clean Magic Earser pads will dig the Ebony out of the grain of the holly fairly good.

However, if you seal the wood with a fast drying water based sanding sealer during sanding the holly will not have any grain pits for the ebony dust to lodge in.
You could use thin super glue to seal the holly for the first coat but that will darken the light colored wood a bit.

I use Endro poly water based sanding sealer.
The first coat takes about 15 min to dry cause I like it to be a heavy coat but the lighter coats after that dry in minutes.
Use a folded paper towel held to the bottom of a spinning cue with one hand and apply the sealer from a squeeze bottle to the top of the cue with the other hand.
Move down the cue in a steady motion.
The folded paper towel will spread it out fairly evenly.
Let it dry and sand .... then reapply and sand again.

Hope I explained this ... if you need a photo just ask.

 

[masonh]

use some of the better sand paper.3M and Norton both offer it and it prevents dragging.also try not to go higher than 220 if possible,definitely no higher than 320.

 

[cueman]

Blast the area you are sanding with high pressure air the whole time you are sanding. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[HeLLFiSH]

I'm not a cuemaker, but this topic came up between a cuemaker and a customer. The cuemaker said he had his holly pressure treated with acrylic so that it isnt porous and wont absorb dust during the sanding phase..

 

[QMAKER]

Sanding Holly

What`s the best way to keep the ebony dust out of holly inlays when doing a final sanding before spraying.

As Chris said, sand paper in one hand air gun in the other. Blow off the
cue continuosly and also the sandpaper. If any wood particles stick in the
sand paper do not use that part of the sandpaper again.

 

[Bill the Cat]

Me too!

Those Mr Clean Magic Earser pads will dig the Ebony out of the grain of the holly fairly good.

However, if you seal the wood with a fast drying water based sanding sealer during sanding the holly will not have any grain pits for the ebony dust to lodge in.
You could use thin super glue to seal the holly for the first coat but that will darken the light colored wood a bit.

I use Endro poly water based sanding sealer.
The first coat takes about 15 min to dry cause I like it to be a heavy coat but the lighter coats after that dry in minutes.
Use a folded paper towel held to the bottom of a spinning cue with one hand and apply the sealer from a squeeze bottle to the top of the cue with the other hand.
Move down the cue in a steady motion.
The folded paper towel will spread it out fairly evenly.
Let it dry and sand .... then reapply and sand again.

Hope I explained this ... if you need a photo just ask.

I've tried the high pressure air, but I prefer Willee's method better. Once the Holly is sealed, the ebony (or other dark wood) dust won't get in the grain. I've been using a water based polyurethane (same thing I use for my finish) to seal the Holly before sanding, but I'm going to try Willee's sanding sealer method. With this method, you're not blowing that fine dust all over your shop:thumbup: