Snakewood cracking, how about cross cut blanks?

[Scottydont]

I have a ton of Snakewood but I have been reluctant to try doing pens with it since others report it is pronne to cracking. I was curious if anyone has tried turning Snakewood cross cut or angle cut and had eliminated or reduced the cracking?

Any thoughts?

 

[Borg_B_Borg]

Wouldn't you be just trading logitudinal cracks for circumferential cracks?

Steve

 

[its_virgil]

...and I'n not sure snakewood would look as good cross cut...but maybe it would. Does it crack when made into bowls or boxes?
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Borg_B_Borg
<br />Wouldn't you be just trading logitudinal cracks for circumferential cracks?

Steve

 

[Dario]

I do believe too that snakewood's features are best presented with a longitudinal cut...but I am not sure if bias cut will help deter cracking. Not sure how it will look too so TRY IT!!!

BTW, since you have lots of it...mind sharing some to us??? [][}][]

 

[Scottydont]

Originally posted by Dario
<br />I do believe too that snakewood's features are best presented with a longitudinal cut...but I am not sure if bias cut will help deter cracking. Not sure how it will look too so TRY IT!!!

BTW, since you have lots of it...mind sharing some to us??? [][}][]

I will play around with bias cuts and report back. If there is interest, I can cut some into blanks.

 

[chigdon]

I am also not sure it would help and would probably look interesting but not as good. It is an expensive wood to play with unfortunately. If it just wouldn't crack! Does anyone know how Omas makes production pens from it???

 

[DCBluesman]

See this post. http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10055&whichpage=2#116740

 

[chigdon]

Thanks for the link. I had not seen that post but had always wondered about whether Omas had these problems. Why they chose Snakewood, Ebony, and Black Palm as their woods I will never understand.