TIME TO REVISIT SNAKEWOOD

[jcm71]

Last month I sold a Jr. Gent II FP in Snakewood that I made in July 2013. I regularly checked it for cracks, and lo and behold, there were some when I inspected it this past March. So I dutifully disassembled the pen and repaired the cracks with Snakewood sawdust and thin CA (as recommended by another IAP member). I am keeping my fingers crossed that the repair is permanent, and I will naturally refund the customer's money should there be any future problems with the pen.

I am now in the process of making a replacement FP with companion RB, both out of Snakewood. My timeline so far has been: 2 weeks ago I stepped drilled the blanks, swapping out drill bits regularly and often. 1 week ago I glued in the tubes and squared the blanks. This morning I turned both sets of blanks to about 1/16 inch proud of the bushings.

What next, guys? Is there anything I can do to prevent the blanks from cracking? Or, assuming that cracking is inevitable, what can I do to accelerate the process, so I can repair the cracks as described above. Or, should I just wait and let nature take its course and repair the cracks when they happen of their own accord? Thanks for your input and advice.

John

 

[plantman]

John; Cracking is usualy caused by changes in humidity, wood drying out, moisture, or someone leaving the pen exposed to heat, extream cold, or sunlight. Snakewood is a little fragile because of it's strange grain pattern. The only suggestion I would have is to make sure you seal the ends of your blanks before pressing the fittings in. I use fingernail polish hardner to keep any moisture from entering from the ends. Jim S

 

[rblakemore]

I like Snakewood a lot; but, a nice pen that I had for sale had both the upper and lower barrel crack the entire length. For now it is a display pen; but, I do not like display pens that have flaws. So, I will probably turn the Snakewood off and replace it. And, I may not use Snakewood again.

 

[jcm71]

John; Cracking is usualy caused by changes in humidity, wood drying out, moisture, or someone leaving the pen exposed to heat, extream cold, or sunlight. Snakewood is a little fragile because of it's strange grain pattern. The only suggestion I would have is to make sure you seal the ends of your blanks before pressing the fittings in. I use fingernail polish hardner to keep any moisture from entering from the ends. Jim S

Thanks, Jim. I sealed these with thin CA after I squared them. I may double up with the finger nail hardener before assembly.

 

[jcm71]

I like Snakewood a lot; but, a nice pen that I had for sale had both the upper and lower barrel crack the entire length. For now it is a display pen; but, I do not like display pens that have flaws. So, I will probably turn the Snakewood off and replace it. And, I may not use Snakewood again.

Don't give up on the pen, Ron. Try disassembling it, sanding both blanks down and saving the sawdust. Pack the cracks with the dust and apply thin CA. The repair should be invisible.

 

[low_48]

I wonder how many times this has come up since I joined IAP in 2004? Every once and a while, somebody thinks they can outsmart snakewood. Never heard of it working out yet, but I guess in my advance years, I probably forgot about someone who was successful. What makes you think it will work this time? There are a lot of beautiful woods out there, and what kind of damage will it do to your reputation when a customer has to return a cracked pen? Use something else.

 

[its_virgil]

I've responded to similar posts in the past. I will one more time. I do not try to keep snakewood from cracking. I drill the blanks, insert the tube(s) but do not glue them in and turn the blank round and set the blanks on the shelf for several weeks. Then run the drill bit through them again. I set them aside and redrill them again in several weeks. Then I glue in the tubes and turn a little more but not to finished diameters. I set them aside and wait...wait for them to crack. Once they crack I collect sanding dust and use thin CA to form a slurry and repair the crack(s). Complete the turning and assemble. I have not had a repaired snakewood pen crack again. No returns. I've repaired pens for a guy in CA who contacted the guy from whom he purchased the pens. He was told there was nothing that could be done about the cracking snakewood. I now have (several pens ago) a customer who continues to purchase snakewood pens for himself and for gifts. A repaired snakewood pen is looks better than almost any other wooden pen. Of course, the snake wood has to be a really nice piece... Love snakewood...even cracked and repaired. As mentioned, the crack is almost invisible.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[jcm71]

I've responded to similar posts in the past. I will one more time. I do not try to keep snakewood from cracking. I drill the blanks, insert the tube(s) but do not glue them in and turn the blank round and set the blanks on the shelf for several weeks. Then run the drill bit through them again. I set them aside and redrill them again in several weeks. Then I glue in the tubes and turn a little more but not to finished diameters. I set them aside and wait...wait for them to crack. Once they crack I collect sanding dust and use thin CA to form a slurry and repair the crack(s). Complete the turning and assemble. I have not had a repaired snakewood pen crack again. No returns. I've repaired pens for a guy in CA who contacted the guy from whom he purchased the pens. He was told there was nothing that could be done about the cracking snakewood. I now have (several pens ago) a customer who continues to purchase snakewood pens for himself and for gifts. A repaired snakewood pen is looks better than almost any other wooden pen. Of course, the snake wood has to be a really nice piece... Love snakewood...even cracked and repaired. As mentioned, the crack is almost invisible.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

Thanks, Virgil. While I have only been a member for 3 or 4 years, this is the best explanation I have read one how to deal with this wood. Patience is truly a virtue here.

 

[BRobbins629]

The other thing that you can do is either sand down the fittings or file out the inside of the tube until there is a slip fit rather than a press fit. Then glue in rather than press in. It is my belief that when the fittings are pressed in, the brass expands and puts considerable stress on the wood. I have done this successfully with snakewood and other crack sensitive materials such as ivory and ebony. As an experiment you can take a glued tube of snakewood and just let it sit along side one pressed into a pen. I would bet that the one just sitting doesn't crack and the one pressed in does as some point.

 

[Hubert H]

Two reasons "snakewood" is named as it is. One - looks. Two - it always bites. It isn't a question of will it crack but when will it crack.