Hi, Paul. I am unfamiliar with the boiling process, but we have microwaved Snakewood before. Just put it in the microwave by itself (not on a plate or anything), and heat it on high power. Check it often, and as soon as it is too hot to touch barehanded, grab an oven mitt and remove it. This supposedly gets a lot of the moisture out of it. Don't let it cook unattended...keep an eye on it.
Drill and turn it in stages. That is, drill a little at a time, nice and slow, a while to cool and re-acclimate. Then drill some more. Do the same with turning. I know a guy who roughs it out the first day, then lets it sit overnight. The next day he turns a little more off, then lets it sit overnight again. He says it takes him about a week to turn the pen, but he swears he has never had one crack on him...before, during, or after turning!