Tagua Nut Question

[sbirkes]

I've bought 24 Tagua Nut to do some carving on.23 of the 24 nuts have voids in the middle. Not just a pinhole but a REAL man sized void.
Is this normal? Is there a place where I can get Tagua Nuts from without voids?

Anyone else have this problem.
Here is a picture. The brown streaks are correct, not a flaw in photography.

[Ron T]

Hi Steve,

Sorry to see your tagua nuts like that. Do you think you can contact the seller and tell them you got a bad batch.

One of my wife's co-workers gave her a couple of tagua nuts for me. I haven't figured out what to carve on them yet. I don't even know what they look like inside. What were you going to do with yours?

[sbirkes]

"and tell them you got a bad batch"

That's part of the problem: I don't know if it is a bad batch or fairly normal.

I was wanting to slice them in pieces about 1/8 inch thick and carve relief designs on them. Kind of like a cameo.

[Ron T]

Steve, from everything I've read and all the pictures I've seen, they mostly have voids but the nut meat is white. It even says so in the sales description. But those brown streaks, it almost looks like the nuts were rotting.

[kitaye]

Tagua nuts do have a natural void, some smaller and some larger. The brown streaks, well that looks weird. Is it possible you burnt the meat when you cut it? To tell take a sharp knife or gouge and dig into the brown areas. IF underneath is white then more than likely the brown in friction burn from the saw.

[Jim-Iowa]

Steve I have never worked with those so can't say. Except they don't look like the ones I have seen.
You might want to email or talk to Nedra, she posts in pyrography & woodburning section as Pyrographer. I don't know what she has now but know she sell Tauga nuts.
Here's her site: Pyrography by Nedra Denison and Sawdust Connection

[Kenny_S]

Steve, Mt little bride and I have bought a bunch of the Tagua nuts and not a one had any voids or dark spot as yours does. I would agree with Ron that they are not the best slection and would tell the dealer. We have also Bought some of the nuts from Nedra Denison and not had any problems.
The little bride made jewelry out of them as they can be cut with scroll and band saw, sanded, polished or stained. Make neat necklesses.

I tried som scrimshawing on one but need more practice.

[Ron T]

Since you and the others mentioneed cutting them, how do you hold them in order to slice them that thin.

[Jim-Iowa]

Ron since your primarily a stick man, they would make neat medalions to inlay in a cane or stick topper. You ask a good question,Im anxious to hear the answer.

[Ron T]

Hi Jim,

That's a great idea. I've been thinking about doing different things with my sticks. I saw the new thread on inlays. I might try it.