• Thanks for visiting The Penturners Forum today.

    There are many features and resources that currently you are unable to see or access, either because you're not yet registered, or if you're already registered, because you're not logged in.

    To gain full access to the forum, please log in or register now. Registration is completely free, it only takes a few seconds, and you can join our well established community of like-minded pen makers.

Can I Save this?

Graham_C

Fellow
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Posts
1,153
Location
Tywyn
First Name
Graham
I started turning this 8" x 2.5" oak blank today and spotted this crack :sob:

It goes all the way through - can it be saved? And if so, how?

Thanks in advance :thumbs::thumbs:

IMG_1970.jpg
 

Dalboy

Executive Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Posts
7,679
Location
Kent
First Name
Derek
How far round to the chuck does it go. If there is plenty of good wood then you could give it a good squirt if thin CA untill it has soaked right in do this before you go to far and as you turn it keep an eye on it adding more CA as you go
 

Phil Dart

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Posts
5,455
Location
Colebrooke, Devon
First Name
Phil
Lets see the piece as a whole Graham. The method used to save it may well be dictated by the appearance of the piece that you are trying to achieve. A rustic form look better one way, a pristine formal piece might look better another.

Zoom out a bit, and tell us what you're trying to achieve.
 

Vic Perrin

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Posts
8,215
Location
Rugeley Staffs
First Name
Vic
I have used Brass or Copper powder drizzled with thin CA to overcome this issue and it has made a nice feature :thumbs:
 

GeordieB

Registered
Joined
Dec 26, 2014
Posts
2,979
Location
halifax
First Name
george
I have used both Vic and Derek,s methods if the crack is quite thin I would opt for Derek,s wider Vic's
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
Unless its a precious piece of timber you could cut your losses and select another piece to work on. The amount of uncertainty and future movement of this one needs to be weighed up ans balanced against a top result.This is a definite crack.

Peter.
 

Graham_C

Fellow
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Posts
1,153
Location
Tywyn
First Name
Graham
Thanks for the quick responses guys, I'll take another pic or two tomorrow and try to show/explain the extent of the crack. It is quite open, and my first thought was "can I make a feature of it?" Maybe I can - I quite fancy the idea of copper in-fill :banana:

The wood isn't precious, but I hate to waste it!

It's going to be a small bowl or similar - a 30th birthday gift for my daughter-in-law. Again, any ideas would be appreciated :thumbs:
 

Terry Q

Fellow
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Posts
3,847
Location
Roanoke, Illinois USA
First Name
Terry
I agree with Peter. Life's to short to turn crappy wood. Besides the potential for an "explosion" on the lathe doesn't appeal to me. Think safety.
 

Graham_C

Fellow
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Posts
1,153
Location
Tywyn
First Name
Graham
I agree with Peter. Life's to short to turn crappy wood. Besides the potential for an "explosion" on the lathe doesn't appeal to me. Think safety.

Thanks Terry, safety was my first concern - I don't fancy a chunk flying off :down:
 

Graham_C

Fellow
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Posts
1,153
Location
Tywyn
First Name
Graham
So, I cleaned it up a bit took a closer look....

It's pretty bad I think, especially as it will go through the thinner part of the bowl.

IMG_1975.jpg

IMG_1981.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1982.jpg
    IMG_1982.jpg
    76.2 KB · Views: 61

Phil Dart

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Posts
5,455
Location
Colebrooke, Devon
First Name
Phil
I think you are better to go down the "abandon it" route Graham. The wood is almost in two pieces. The shake goes almost the entire length of the grain at the front and almost to the centre point, much lower down at the back. No amount of CA is going to keep that safe. There are methods of dealing with it - boring, pinning, stapling and so on, and if it was a priceless piece of irreplaceable burr I might be encouraging you to learn some new saving skills. But it isn't - it's a piece of run of the mill oak, and in this instance the need to keep your head and face intact outweighs the time involved and the risks associated with saving it.

In my opinion you would be better to get it off the lathe, get it on the bandsaw and re-purpose it I'm afraid
 

Dalboy

Executive Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Posts
7,679
Location
Kent
First Name
Derek
Having now seen the second batch of picture use it for something else take it straight off and bandsaw it straight through the split so you can see what you have left. i had a bowl like this when I first started and so not to waste it I cut out the split and glued in a contrasting piece. This was one of my first turnings when I started which had a split through the middle
 

Attachments

  • DSCF7140.jpg
    DSCF7140.jpg
    25.2 KB · Views: 36

Graham_C

Fellow
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Posts
1,153
Location
Tywyn
First Name
Graham
Took a really close "look" by applying pressure, and it moves considerably, so I'll "re-purpose" as suggested. Many thanks for all the responses :thumbs:
 

clement

Graduate Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2016
Posts
543
Location
Belgium
First Name
Clement
I agree with Phil's advice, take it off from the lathe and try use the best part for something others !
 
Warning! This thread has not had any replies for over a year. You are welcome to post a reply here, but it might be better to start a new thread (and maybe include a link to this one if you need to).
Top