Lignum Vitae

[Tim Thiebaut]

I picked up a nice piece of this wood this morning as I have been wanting to turn a nice mallet "bonker" for shop use. I am assuming it is still fairly wet inside as all of the smaller pieces I have got recently were just like this. Since this wood is so dense and naturaly oil filled do I need to worry about it spliting and cracking like most woods we turn as it drys? Or can I just turn it and go right to useing it? Thanks for any info you can give me, Tim

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Tim,
Lignum Vitae splits like crazy. Years ago I bought a commercially made Lignum carving mallet. The instructions advised it be kept in a plastic bag when not in use. I did that for a long time and finally tired of doing so. It cracked. Here's the good news. The check doesn't hamper the utility of the tool, just the looks. I suggest you keep air from hitting it when not in use at least for a period of time.
faust

[Mitch McGee]

Yes, lignum splits like crazy. I got a nice 18" 4x4 block from Woodcraft. I rough turned three mortar and pestels. After 30 days two out of three cracked, I feel guilty for wasting such nice wood. I am not touching anither piece until I know how to dry it first.

What is the best way to dry lignum?

[Wally Dickerman]

Lig. V. does do a lot of cracking because it never seems to dry completely. Several years ago I found a Lig. V log a bit over a foot in dia. It was stamped US Navy and had a date of about 50 years before. I shared the log with a couple of guys and we had the supplier bandsaw it in half. Harvested 50 years before and it was still a bit wet inside!

The Navy and others used Lig V. for shaft bearings for small vessels because it is so waxy that it is self lubricating. When you turn it, wax builds up on the tool so that you have to scrape it off at times.

Wally

[phil harold]

cover it wax when your done turning it
and periodically cover it with wax

mine did not crack but you need it to dry slowly

[Tim Thiebaut]

OK thanks everyone I will take the nessecary steps to protect the wood then, thanks for the info, Tim