Black Palm Sawn Turning Blank 55mm x 27mm x 510mm

Black palm turning blank, 55 x 27 x 510mm. Dense black-on-tan figure, sawn square and ready for the lathe.

Black Palm Turning Blank

A black palm turning blank in this size gives you room to move beyond a single pen — enough cross-section for a bottle stopper or a small handle, enough length for a matched set. Borassus flabellifer carries dense black streaking through a tan-brown base, and the extra bulk on this size shows more of that figure than the smaller pen blanks do. Adrian sets these aside whenever a good parcel of black palm comes through.

Why Black Palm is a Turner’s Wood

The colour is the drawcard: dense black fibres run through a warm tan-brown background, no two pieces reading quite the same. It’s a palm rather than a hardwood, so the structure is fibrous rather than grained — dense, almost cane-like under the tool — and it takes a mirror finish once you’re through the outer fibres. Read more on the species at Wikipedia.

Working a Black Palm Turning Blank on the Lathe

• Hardness: tough on edges — the silica in the fibres blunts standard HSS fast, so keep a diamond hone or carbide tool handy
• Grain: fibrous and directional, more like coconut palm than oak or blackwood — light, even cuts beat heavy roughing passes
• Turning: the extra cross-section holds detail well and rounds out cleanly on a bottle stopper or knob profile
• Finishing: we recommend Rustins Danish oil, EEE-Ultra Shine or Shellawax to bring the black figure up
• Stability: kiln-dried and stable, minimal movement once turned

Best Projects for a Black Palm Turning Blank

• Bottle stoppers and decorative knobs
• Small bowls and trinket boxes
• Larger pen and pencil turnings
• Decorative elements on a box or piece of furniture

Stock & Finish

Sawn square, ready for the lathe. Natural colour and figure variation expected piece to piece.

Shipping & Pickup

Ships Australia-wide via Australia Post or Aramex. Pickup welcome from our Mulgrave NSW location Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Saturday 9am to noon. Bulk enquiries — phone (02) 4577 5277 or sales@trendtimbers.com.au.

More Black Palm

Browse the rest of our turning blanks or see other black palm stock in the range. This size comes through occasionally in a decent run — once it goes, the listing closes.

A Note on Our Wood Products

Please remember that the photos you see are indicative only. As a beautiful, natural material, wood inherently varies in grain, colour, and figure. While we meticulously select outstanding pieces to send your way, each item will possess its own unique charm. We believe these natural variations are part of what makes our wood products so special and truly one-of-a-kind.

Because timber is a natural product, not all stock is ready to send immediately. Occasionally we need to mill your timber to the size you’ve specified before dispatch.