Ebony Star who make it?

[CoombellKid]

Who makes Ebony Star, is it Formica? I'm looking to possibly order some
through a local joinery but not sure who makes it.

thanks for any help advance

regards,CS

[erick (Eric)]

Rob, I have a sample at home with the exact details on it. I'll look it up tonight and give you the precise maker and numbers.

[xstream (John)]

Wilson Art, Rob.

[GrahamL]

Teflon and formica bearings. The bottom of the rockerbox is covered with a pebble grain Formica that rides on the Teflon bearings on the groundboard. Formica is a brand name that has come to mean any plastic counter top laminate. You see telescope makers refer to using Ebony Star Formica. Ebony Star is a style of Wilson Art laminate (not Formica), and while it has a great sounding name, it is simply a glossy pebble grain laminate that allows smooth movement on the Teflon. Any similarly textured laminate would do just fine. Ebony Star is available from your local Wilson Art dealer, probably your local lumber or hardware stores.

above sponged from the net

I think the stuff I have is a pebble grain formica rob
I bought it from the offcut bin of a kitchen maker for $20
Its to pricey to throw away @ $300 a sheet .. finding the colour ebony ?
there wasn't one piece close but lots with the right texture and
wrong colour.

[CoombellKid]

Thanks guy's for the replies. Wilson Art were the folks I'm after.

Graham, I'm just looking to getting a quote for a future scope at this stage
through this guy in Casino. However I need around 1" x 25" long strips for
the side bearings for the 8" and I'm looking at Formica's Stardust Pearl.
Bunnings is quoting $66.00 for a 600 x 900 or was it 1200 size sheets.

regards,CS

[erick (Eric)]

OK, I promised, so for the record:-

Front and rear scans of the sample piece I picked up from the "Kitchen" place when I bought my offcut. I left the images pretty big to show detail. I've also photographed the sample in oblique light to show the texture (phone camera focus and resolution only, sorry).

So the "magic" order number is "4552-50".

I understand that EbonyStar refers to the colour/pattern and this is what the "4552" designates. The "50" refers to the surface finish. I believe there is also a "90" which is a less rough surface. I also believe that some other patterns also come in a "50" texture, which would probably work just as well?

WilsonArt only lists the "4552-90" on its website at present.

Here's some reading for those interested, recent and historic! :-

http://observers.org/tac.mailing.lis.../Oct/0069.html
http://astro.umsystem.edu/atm/ARCHIV.../msg00425.html