Yes it works. I just ran an experiment on some Honduran rosewood. Soaked one blank for 4 hrs, another blank for 8 hrs and still another for 24 hours. Hang the blanks to dry for a few hours and then place each in a paper bag and place on the shelf for 3 months. None cracked! My control piece, cut from the same board and just placed in a paper bag, cracked from both ends. There did not seem to be any advantage from the long soak times in the denatured alcohol. I turned a couple of barrels from the soaked/dried blanks and they have been hanging around in the shop, both finished and unfinished, for a few months now. No cracks in either product so far.
I would recommend that you cut a few blanks, soak in denatured alcohol for 4 hours. let them air dry for an hour and then placed each one in its own paper bag. I used a paper lunch bag from the local Walmart. Wait a few months and you should be good to go. The blanks had some distortion after drying so cut them a little oversize and wait to drill your tone board hole until ready to turn.
Just my experience. Your results with hedge my vary.
Fred
