# Snakewood



## RustySplinters (Apr 9, 2015)

Ah the beast strikes again.

I have no questions about turning it -- research has told me plenty.. I just hope that when/if I turn it things go correctly :wink:


My question is about the shipping of turned snakewood, specifically not glued to brass tubes (But if it is I won't be upset), and what your experiences are with that.

Would one have to make special allowances for the fact that it is so prone to blowout, or is it go to go once it is no longer on the lathe?  Could the constant temperature and pressure change of shipping it cause the wood to buckle?  

Thanks for all help,
Best
Michael Russell


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## Paul in OKC (Apr 13, 2015)

Well, I'll at least give you an answer. I don't know! :biggrin: I hear how prone it is to cracking and such, but after the fact and shipping.........?


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## thewishman (Apr 13, 2015)

For me, I wait after it is turned until it cracks and then repair the cracks and assemble the pen. I would only offer finished pens after the repairs.


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## farmer (Jun 11, 2015)

How long has it been drying  ?
Guys there are crazy big furniture made out of snakewood .
Also there are some very talented cue makers that have figured out how to 
work it with out is cracking.

Maybe spin the blank round or just do one pass on it and then rub some bees wax and orange oil on it .
Then I will set the wood to the side for a month, do anther turn on it then oil it and set it off to the side . 
That is what I do to my snake wood and manzanita burl
If you drill it then put some wax and oil in the hole and set the wood off the  side for a couple months...

Allot of wood you buy from exotic wood  dealers has not been dried enough.
That is the problem with wood working is you need wood tat is done moving allot.
Personally I don't think wood ever stops moving.

Best of luck with your snake wood project .


Or segment it


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## Mike@CSUSA (Jun 11, 2015)

I made a snakewood Jr gent with no tubes, glued the parts in with flexible epoxy. It has sat in my truck for the last 2 years with temps from -10 below to over 100 degrees with no cracking.  I'd give that a try, hopefully that helps.


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## BRobbins629 (Jun 11, 2015)

As long as you design it to allow movement, it shouldn't crack. That generally means no press in fittings. I too have a kitless clicker for several years with no cracks.


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## reporp21 (Jun 11, 2015)

I found a method that works great for me.  I drill a hole down the middle of the blank, then put it in my conventional oven at 140 deg for 2- 2 1/2 hrs.  I let it cool down, then redrill the blank to the final size.  I haven't had a crack or blowout yet with this method.


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## Sabaharr (Aug 3, 2015)

Did anyone ever consider that stabilizing it might stabilize it? Sorry, I had to put it that way just because that's the way I roll.


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## mikedealer (Aug 6, 2015)

i had a few peices of really really fragile beautiful burl once.  i drilled on lathe like usual and glued tube.  Took off all 4 corners with my belt sander so its octagonal in shape, and took a peice of 60grit sandpaper and went to town on it, only moving up in grit as it became close to finished product..  no blowouts, took forever, result was worth it...

not easiest method, but since some blanks cost $16-20 bucks or more, why risk, especially if its a wood thats not stabilized, or doesnt stabalize well.


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## duncsuss (Aug 6, 2015)

I got a piece of snakewood in a regular mail shipment (USPS priority box) from Michigan to Massachusetts along with a bunch of other blanks. It survived the trip fine, as far as I could tell.

It was about the size of 2 pen blanks, so I ripped it on the bandsaw. Drilled one of them with 3/8" bit and glued up a Vertex click pen tube, turned and finished with CA (about 10 coats), and assembled the pen using the lathe as a press.

I don't know if it will crack in the future, but so far so good.


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