Acacia Wood - How to cut some pieces to avoid cracks from drying

[Michael Murane]

I just came upon some beautiful logs of Acacia Wood from friend in AZ. I'm a fairly new turner and I've been experimenting with turning bowls. Looking at the sections of acacia wood I have I see a large number of cracks due to drying. Can I get some thoughts from everybody out in the turning world on how I should proceed? What's the best way to cut the logs to get the best useable blanks for making bowls? Given the number of cracks present how do I proceed? t

 

[Michael Murane]

...The log sections are about 2 feet long..

 

[J. Paul Fennell]

Michael,
There are many species of Acacia introduced into Arizona, and to me this looks Australian. Because of our dry climate, controlling the drying of green wood is paramount. My method is to coat the ends with melted candle wax as soon as I get the logs. Not sure if this is salvageable because of the cracks around the edges. You might try sawing the log in half through the pith, but still coat the ends if you do.

 

[Michael Murane]

Michael,
There are many species of Acacia introduced into Arizona, and to me this looks Australian. Because of our dry climate, controlling the drying of green wood is paramount. My method is to coat the ends with melted candle wax as soon as I get the logs. Not sure if this is salvageable because of the cracks around the edges. You might try sawing the log in half through the pith, but still coat the ends if you do.

Thanks for the advice. If I cut it in half through the pith. Will that help prevent the cracks already present on the outside of the log from expanding? Is there a way to treat/fill the cracks with anything in order to save the wood?

 

[hockenbery]

If I cut it in half through the pith. Will that help prevent the cracks already present on the outside of the log from expanding?

It looks pretty far gone. If it were 4 feet long the center 2 feet might be salvageable. The center section of a 2 foot log is likely cracked. Arizona is a dry place.
start thinking about a spindle oriented projects with the endgrain to the centers.
Scoops, handles, pens, boxes, ornaments, pendants spheres


Looking at this end there is a big DANGER SIGN and a remote possibility of a plate or shallow bowl.
With these pieces the cracks rarely run straight to the other end so the plate blank may have a ring shake or other cracks.

I the diagram I see a ring shake. If you cut on the blue line and try turning a bowl one side of the ring shake will be fixed to the lathe for hollowing. If it doesn’t fall into two pieces then it probably will when you cut the wall thin enough.
I show two possible bowls but the cracks are unlikely to ru straight enough. And if the ring shake is present it is dangerous.



You can probably get small discs 2-3” diameter that you can turn into pendants or ornaments.
This one is sandblasted but you can turn texture and carve the surfaces. Cut grooves on different centers.
These small pieces won’t kill you if the come apart.

 

[Leo Van Der Loo]

TOO LATE for this wood, no-one is willing to tell you it seems that you have just been given some firewood, no turning wood but for some toothpicks to make from it, sorry to be so blunt, but I would not like you to get hurt for turning just a piece of wood.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

I agree with Leo. I would not turn any of that. Look at the first picture. Not only do you have all of the cracks around the outside but you also have a crack around 3” from the pith that goes half way around.

 

[robo hippy]

I think acacia is similar to madrone in that it starts to crack before you even get the chainsaw out of the truck. Like Al said, that ring shake is not safe at all. Since the piece is 2 foot long, cut a few inches off of each end and see if it looks any better. If not, then it is fire wood.

robo hippy

 

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I think acacia is similar to madrone in that it starts to crack before you even get the chainsaw out of the truck. Like Al said, that ring shake is not safe at all. Since the piece is 2 foot long, cut a few inches off of each end and see if it looks any better. If not, then it is fire wood.

robo hippy

You have any idea how many species of Acacia there are ??

Well 1081 so far and a lot of different uses.like Gum Acacia, like Koa, it is an Acacia, some is used as anti-contraception, etc etc.

I'm sure you can't compare it to Madrone, and having it sit out in Arizona, would do any wood in, just IMO.

 

[JeffSmith]

That looks like Black Acacia to me - I love to turn it. Trim the ends back about 6” or so, get rid of the pith (I cut the quarter sawn pieces from the pith and save for small spindle work). There may still be some small cracks to negotiate as you cut up what’s left - think shallow bowls, small platters and, if nothing else, cut for boxes. Often the very small cracks will virtually disappear as it’s worked. The larger, open cracks need to be avoided.
Acacia is lovely to turn - is hard, almost brittle, but machines well. It can be hard on tools - lots of silica in some - so go to the grinder often. It finishes well with an oil finish and a little wax it has a beautiful, soft sheen. Here’s some salt vaults or pigs I’ve been working on this weekend. These were from some pieces I brought back from CA last summer - it had been down and cut up for nearly a year before I got my hands on it. Use good judgement, face mask and stay out of the line of fire. Don’t turn any wood that scares you, but not all cracks in acacia are structural. When in doubt, pewas are your friend.

 

[Gabriel Hoff]

That looks like Black Acacia to me - I love to turn it. Trim the ends back about 6” or so, get rid of the pith (I cut the quarter sawn pieces from the pith and save for small spindle work). There may still be some small cracks to negotiate as you cut up what’s left - think shallow bowls, small platters and, if nothing else, cut for boxes. Often the very small cracks will virtually disappear as it’s worked. The larger, open cracks need to be avoided.
Acacia is lovely to turn - is hard, almost brittle, but machines well. It can be hard on tools - lots of silica in some - so go to the grinder often. It finishes well with an oil finish and a little wax it has a beautiful, soft sheen. Here’s some salt vaults or pigs I’ve been working on this weekend. These were from some pieces I brought back from CA last summer - it had been down and cut up for nearly a year before I got my hands on it. Use good judgement, face mask and stay out of the line of fire. Don’t turn any wood that scares you, but not all cracks in acacia are structural. When in doubt, pewas are your friend.
View attachment 62853

That box is beautiful! Get them up on the gallery!!

 

[Michael Murane]

That looks like Black Acacia to me - I love to turn it. Trim the ends back about 6” or so, get rid of the pith (I cut the quarter sawn pieces from the pith and save for small spindle work). There may still be some small cracks to negotiate as you cut up what’s left - think shallow bowls, small platters and, if nothing else, cut for boxes. Often the very small cracks will virtually disappear as it’s worked. The larger, open cracks need to be avoided.
Acacia is lovely to turn - is hard, almost brittle, but machines well. It can be hard on tools - lots of silica in some - so go to the grinder often. It finishes well with an oil finish and a little wax it has a beautiful, soft sheen. Here’s some salt vaults or pigs I’ve been working on this weekend. These were from some pieces I brought back from CA last summer - it had been down and cut up for nearly a year before I got my hands on it. Use good judgement, face mask and stay out of the line of fire. Don’t turn any wood that scares you, but not all cracks in acacia are structural. When in doubt, pewas are your friend.
View attachment 62853

Thanks for the input. I have to admit that given the general consensus I'm now VERY hesitant to turn this wood. It's just so damn beautiful it is a shame I can't really do much with it. Perhaps I'll try to get some spindles.

 

[Michael Murane]

I agree with Leo. I would not turn any of that. Look at the first picture. Not only do you have all of the cracks around the outside but you also have a crack around 3” from the pith that goes half way around.

Thanks for the input. It does seem a shame to turn it into firewood.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

Thanks for the input. It does seem a shame to turn it into firewood.

You can turn a bunch of small stuff.

 

[Russ Braun]

Thanks for the input. It does seem a shame to turn it into firewood.

Uhhhh, can anyone say segments?? You know I will, haha!!

 

[JeffSmith]

Michael - wondering what you decided to do with that acacia. I had another thought - iif I get a chunk that has larger cracks, I’ll often mix up some epoxy (I use West System, but any good epoxy will work) add some black pigment and fill the larger cracks before turning. The epoxy needs to be slow curing to allow it to settle into the cracks deeply. Fill them twice - or as long as it keeps disappearing. Make sure any exits are taped up or, better yet, use hot melt glue to seal. The cracks that aren’t open will often take some thin ca.
I wouldn’t give up on it yet…

 

[DON FRANK]

Before you give up cut a fresh end a few inches over and see if the cracks continue or fade out. Even with cracks there should be lots of useable wood available for smaller projects. I seal up the ends with PVA glue instead of anchor seal. Wax as someone mentioned above is even better.