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Author Topic: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?  (Read 3420 times)

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Offline toomanyknots

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Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« on: December 09, 2013, 02:49:46 pm »
I have wanted to use blood wood for a core for a while just form an aesthetic stand point, ( I think it would be purdy,  ;D ) but every time I try a piece of it, the stuff twists on me like a cork screw. I thought it might just be the piece I tried at first, but every piece I try is like that. I picked up a smaller piece of it lately, and it did the same thing. Which brings me to my next question, what do I do with them, now that I have a bunch of big dense dark red curly fry shaped pieces of wood??? How do a get a true surface on a piece of wood where every face has a bunch of twist in it?
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Bryce

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2013, 03:02:51 pm »
I just glued up a nice piece of bamboo and blood wood...didn't twist in me at all. That is odd. Could you maybe post a pic for a better visual?
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Clatskanie, Oregon

Offline Pat B

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2013, 05:45:04 pm »
Have you allowed the bloodwood to acclimatize to your area before cutting it?
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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2013, 07:54:37 pm »
Quote from: Pat B on December 09, 2013, 05:45:04 pm
Have you allowed the bloodwood to acclimatize to your area before cutting it?

No. But I wouldn't think it is too much different than the woodcraft I bought it from, it is only a couple miles from my house. My house might be a bit drier from the heat going.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2013, 07:56:21 pm »
Quote from: Bryce (Pinecone) on December 09, 2013, 03:02:51 pm
I just glued up a nice piece of bamboo and blood wood...didn't twist in me at all. That is odd. Could you maybe post a pic for a better visual?

I will in a bit, the pieces I have used have nice straight grain with no knots, but after cutting the hidden tension is always there and it wants to twist. It would be fine if it just reflexed or deflexed.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline adb

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2013, 10:59:38 pm »
I had some yew heartwood that did that. I cut it and it turned into a friggin' pretzel.
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Offline wood_bandit 99

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2013, 12:01:40 am »
Never had the problem before but I thought it could be from possibly drying out unevenly? Maybe been kiln dried for not long enough so the outside of it is drier than the inside? Just thinking out loud here.
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Offline adb

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2013, 01:11:21 am »
Yes, uneven drying is what causes checking and warpage.
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Offline wood_bandit 99

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2013, 02:33:41 am »
Quote from: adb on December 10, 2013, 01:11:21 am
Yes, uneven drying is what causes checking and warpage.

Point one bandit >:D
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Offline Bryce

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2013, 02:41:51 am »
Quote from: adb on December 09, 2013, 10:59:38 pm
I had some yew heartwood that did that. I cut it and it turned into a friggin' pretzel.

I've had that happen. Now I clamp them all together in a stack with shims.
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Clatskanie, Oregon

Offline Hamish

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2013, 03:22:21 am »
What dimensions was the piece of wood? Was it planed square?
I have had a board of bulletwood kink on me after resawing, but only in one spot.
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mikekeswick

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Re: Cutting blood wood, does it always twist on you too?
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2013, 03:53:51 am »
It is unlikely to be uneven drying that causes this problem.
More likely is how the tree was growing. If it wasn't growing straight upwards you have tension in the wood. When you cut it the tensions are released (not held by the wood next to it) and it will revert to it's 'natural' shape.
If you have any left put it away for many,many years...... :)
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