South American Mahogany

[WaianaeCrider]

I'm a beginning wood worker.  A real amateur.  LOL 

January last year I cut a section of South American Mahogany back in the bush.  Packed it out for about an hour and then soaked it in a can of salt water for a year and a half.  Someone once told me that this would prevernt or limit splitting/craking when it was allowed to dry.  Ever hear of that???

Took it out of the water about 2 weeks ago letting it begin to dry.  Then I began running it across my Jointer and I've gotten this far, so far.  Not really sure what I'm gonna do w/it if it drys w/o splitting.

 

[tropicbreeze]

We have a lot of African Mahogany here, Khaya senegalensis, which is popular for woodworking. Usually the ends of the logs are painted over with a wood adhesive, like Aquadhere. It's left under shelter for a few years to cure slowly. See some of the products here:
https://ntlumberjacks.com.au/slab_gallery.php?id=1

[Absquatulate]

On 6/29/2023 at 11:49 AM, tropicbreeze said:

We have a lot of African Mahogany here, Khaya senegalensis, which is popular for woodworking. Usually the ends of the logs are painted over with a wood adhesive, like Aquadhere. It's left under shelter for a few years to cure slowly. See some of the products here:
https://ntlumberjacks.com.au/slab_gallery.php?id=1

Agree, that's a good site for it

[Rivera]

Steve,

I've never attempted a saltwater-cure of wood, though I guess it's a technique some boat builders use? It will prevent the actions of microbes that cause rot, but I'm not sure if it helps with warping/cracking.

I have worked with very salty driftwood a little bit, but in general I'm trying to protect my woodworking tools from salt. Wish I'd done the same for my truck! :⁠'⁠(

[WaianaeCrider]

17 hours ago, Rivera said:

Steve,

I've never attempted a saltwater-cure of wood, though I guess it's a technique some boat builders use? It will prevent the actions of microbes that cause rot, but I'm not sure if it helps with warping/cracking.

I have worked with very salty driftwood a little bit, but in general I'm trying to protect my woodworking tools from salt. Wish I'd done the same for my truck! :⁠'⁠(

I didn't think about the salt and my tools.  "Locals" here say Hawaiians have been doing this for hundreds of years.  Of course they didn't have metal tools.  So far very little cracking just at the ends.  Needs to be run thru the plainer now.

[Rivera]

4 hours ago, WaianaeCrider said:

I didn't think about the salt and my tools.  "Locals" here say Hawaiians have been doing this for hundreds of years.  Of course they didn't have metal tools.  So far very little cracking just at the ends.  Needs to be run thru the plainer now.

Trust the locals!

The marine air here quickly rusts all the exposed ferrous surfaces (lathe bedways, bandsaw tables, etc.) in my garage workshop.

I usually just clean them up with a WD-40 clean and lubricate spray or something like that. 

I've had many sections of "waste" wood due to excess cracking. Hope this works out for you. 👍

[WaianaeCrider]

6 hours ago, Rivera said:

Trust the locals!

The marine air here quickly rusts all the exposed ferrous surfaces (lathe bedways, bandsaw tables, etc.) in my garage workshop.

I usually just clean them up with a WD-40 clean and lubricate spray or something like that. 

I've had many sections of "waste" wood due to excess cracking. Hope this works out for you. 👍

I'm 2.5 miles up wind from the ocean so salt air not to bad.  But from the soaked wood that cold be a problem.

[Rivera]

7 hours ago, WaianaeCrider said:

I'm 2.5 miles up wind from the ocean so salt air not to bad.  But from the soaked wood that cold be a problem.

Not sure... If the treated wood is dry and the air is dry in your shop, it might not be a big deal as I don't think salt alone will do anything nasty. 

That said, I would liberally spray some cleaner/lubricant around the moving parts and unfinished steel, then blow out the excess fluid with some compressed air after it's had a chance to soak in a bit. A little insurance without much fuss.

Some woodworkers like the "Top Saver" product, but I just use the WD-40 "Specialist" line due to low cost/local hardware store availability and it does the job. 

👍