Ebony - Cutting disks and drilling a ball depression

[toolbelt diva]

I am going to use the BT3 to cut 3/8" or 1/2" wide disks from round 7/8" diameter ebony pen blanks. Then I would like to make a round bottom depression on one of the flat sides similar to the depressions in a marble game, but only 7/16" in width and about half that in depth. I thought I might try a 7/16" ball end mill, but am not sure how safe it will be to use in a drill press. I don't know if a ball end router bit can be used vertically and I am not sure if a regular 7/16" drill bit would work, since the depressions need to have round bottoms, because I will then epoxy a ball bearing in the depression. I am still a beginning woodworker and have never worked with ebony (just pine and poplar so far), so I would greatly appreciate any advice or recommendations anyone has to offer on cutting the disks and making the depressions.

[Stytooner]

I personally think this stock is too small to be cutting on a table saw. Chances of something going wrong would be pretty high. A bandsaw would be a better choice. The best choice might be a lathe.

Either an endmill or router bit would probably work okay to do the cupping. It will all be slow going. That is some hard material.

[LCHIEN]

If you have a fixture to hold the short round vertically then a router bit with a round end will work. A core box or round end bit would do it plunged into the end of the dowel.
Need to fix the dowel end and the holder so they won't spin when you put the bit to it.

[cabinetman]

I agree the part is small to be cut on the table saw. They could be cut as suggested with a band saw, or a CMS, SCMS, or RAS. They could also be cut with a manual miter box and a back saw.

For dishing, I would drill a hole in a substrate like MDF or plywood for the disc to sit in, and use a core box router bit in the drill press. The piece is also IMO too small to be routed.

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[leehljp]

I have a "small piece" holder that I have used a few times over the years (and wished a had used it a few more times than I have ) and it works OK!

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5296

Click here for Amazon for about $3 cheaper.

Other companies offer them but these two were quick to find. With proper adjustment to the holder and proper height of TS blade, it can be used safely on a TS . . . I think.

[pelligrini]

It could be cut on a table saw using a small parts sled and some well designed hold downs. You'd turn a lot of material into sawdust due to the kerf thickness. I'd probably just put it in my little x-acto miter box and use my razor saw on it. http://www.amazon.com/Xacto-X75320-S.../dp/B0000DD1O4

I'd consider doing the dishing before cutting the discs. It would be easier to secure a longer blank than a small disc.

[Whaler]

If you have never used Ebony, it is prone to cracking. It could crack immediately, next week or next month but will probably crack. I don't know what your project is but there may be a better choice of wood out there.

[phrog]

I have a "small piece" holder that I have used a few times over the years (and wished a had used it a few more times than I have ) and it works OK!

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5296

Click here for Amazon for about $3 cheaper.

Other companies offer them but these two were quick to find. With proper adjustment to the holder and proper height of TS blade, it can be used safely on a TS . . . I think.

I have one that looks just like that and I use it very often also. I bought mine at HF. They work great in special situations.

[Stytooner]

I think on a table saw, once you secure the material to a sled, you still have no idea what will actually happen to the off cut. This I think, is where the danger is. Don't want a little round bullet shooting back at you. The small part holder is great, but you have to think about the off cut. It can lay aside with no issues, but it can also bounce right back into the blade.

[toolbelt diva]

You guys are awesome! Thank you for all the great advice and suggestions. My project is to make some pendants. The ebony is on sale at Rockler and the dowel and size is perfect. I also thought the black would contrast nicely with a chrome ball. I had no idea it is prone to cracking and so I might need to rethink my choice of wood. They didn't have any other nice wood dowel in the same size and I don't have a lathe to make my own dowels from square stock. Maybe I'll just make square pendants instead of round ones. Any suggestions on nice wood that won't crack or split?

I was a bit nervous to try cutting such small pieces on the table saw. The safety holder for small pieces is a great idea if I decide to try using the table saw, but I definitely don't want any projectiles either, so the table saw is out. Unfortunately my band saw will have to remain in its box for a few more months. I can try a scrollsaw. It would be safer, but I don't know how to ensure exact straight cuts each slice. I guess I can sand down any unevenness if you think a scrollsaw can handle the cutting.

Another option is if there any type of drill bit that would cut circles in wood with the center wood cut out left untouched. With something like that I can just buy some flat stock with a nice face grain pattern and cut out circles. I can also try cutting circles on a scrollsaw, but I'm not good enough yet to get perfect circles. Squares I might be able to do. A scrollsaw would add a lot of hours to the project. I'll have to look up the saw acronyms cabnetman suggested to see if any neighbors have one I can borrow.