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Manzanita - Help with Cracking???

Lanietheberner

Lanietheberner

Joined
Jul 13, 2008
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Location
Grass Valley, CA
Hi there, is there anyone who might be able to help I'd really appreciate this help!! We love to turn Manzanita and we have lots of it where we are located in Grass Valley, CA, but it's almost impossible to get a piece that not split everywhich direction... :eek:

Does anyone know how I might be able to prep and situate this wood (how to possibly prep it and dry it) so I don't end up with a pile of cracked wood that's of no use. :D

Thanks!

Brad Glasse
Grass Valley, CA
 
Manzanita-Help with cracking?

I'm not sure I can help with the cracking problem but I'd like to offer some other thoughts. I turn a lot of manzanita and actually prefer it to crack because I inlay the cracks with semi-precious stone like lapis, turquoise and malachite. As you're aware, manzanita comes in many colors from light tan to deep burgundy. The different stones offer you an opportunity to create some very dramatic contrasts between the wood and the stone. Another factor that makes manzanita one of my favorite woods is the fact that if you turn it green and thin, it usually moves a lot. The movement of the wood creates the cracks but can also create some spectacular sculptural pieces!
 
You need to first turn it immediately after it is cut down. The walls need to be thin enough to allow it to deform to an oval yet thick enough that there is sufficient wood for re-turning - not an easy judgement with this wood as it is one that deforms a lot when drying. The other choice is to allow the deforming to be a feature of the turning, some times interesting, the deforming can be quite extensive. It's not a bad idea to do the first turning as a finished bowl as you often won't have enough wood to allow re-turning to round. It's a very interesting wood that really isn't a choice for turners who don't live out here.

Malcolm Smith
 
Mjonesrdg said:
Contact Jerry Hall of Gold Country Woodturners at jerhall@sbcglobal.net

(Grass Valley/Nevada City local club) That club should be an excellent resource for all things turning in your area.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Jerry is one of our local turning guru's, but had no suggestions on the crack preventing issues...:D

We make Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Wheels and cracks in the wood are not something we can use.

I was wondering if we might be able to boil, treat, dance around it while I burn sacrifical pieces to the manzanita gods, or do something that would help us with this cracking....

Manzanita is really beautiful wood, and our customers would like to get more of it, but it's really hard to find pieces that are 4" in diameter with no cracks...

Brad Glasse
Grass Valley, CA
 

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Manzanita

I'm trying to turn some manzanita(sp). So if you have any success please post the solution. I'm in Redwood Valley (near Ukiah).
 
Manzanita

Another option you can do, if you have large enough pieces is remove the pith and then apply a green wood sealer. I have turned manzanita, and I really like it. Most of what I have is 3" diameter and smaller, if you have like 5" to 8" I may want to buy some.
 
I've got stuff that is 18" in diameter, but...

it's all cracked.... Call me if your interested.

Brad Glasse
Grass Valley, CA
530-273-0568
 
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