Has anyone ever tried ...

[Wood spoiler]

..... To take a twist out of a turned item.

On sailing boats if an item warped the solution was to immerse it in water and then put under a heavy load. This usually resulted in a piece returning to the intended contour over time

Having just turned a shallow 15" platter In Lacewood, I was disappointed to see it twist significantly overnight. It was a purchased blank from Toolpost, so I am assuming it was seasoned (i don't have a moisture meter). I didn't think the stress would be worth worrying about on a shallow turned item.

Is it worth trying the above, has anyone else had an success or failure doing the same.

If no-one has this experience I will be guinea pig and report back ...

 

[Thermo]

snap same thing happened to me with the first platter i have done and the oak has gone banannas over night. still it gives it an intresting twist!

 

[skeetoids]

Perhaps a pic of the platter would help to see the amount of warpage, sometimes the warp is beautiful and you may be able to do something creative with it?

 

[CHJ]

Chances are that it will always remain thus regardless. For thin flat platters you need to start with quarter sawn blanks that have been around for several years or at least a thin plank little more in thickness than the finished item that has stayed flat, little or no cupping, whilst in stick.

The above items were from a 25mm thick Ash plank that had been indoors for some weeks and stayed within a couple of mm of flat after turning, although the ones I still have do move back and forth dependant on humidity.

 

[Wood spoiler]

Thanks Chas

Looks like we will be up against it for this months platter.

Resign myself to a flawed end result.

Will have to do from start to finish in double quick time, including taking the pictures before it can all go "Pete Tong"

 

[johnny.t.]

Colin it may not work but is worth a try, what have you got to lose?

 

[Paul.J]

By soaking it in water it will lift the fibres back up leaving a rough finish,will you be able to refinish it on the lathe:?:
Next time Colin when you have finished a piece like this or any other,try putting it in a cardboard box for a week or two keeping the air circulation away from it,gradually opening it up to let the air at it until it becomes acclimatised to your enviroment.

 

[boysie39]

I have a Walnut plate I turned some time ago .
It twisted every way you could imagine. I submerged it in a container of water and put a weight on top.
And I really forgot about it, it must have been weeks before I remembered it. I took it out and it was back in shape
I then wrapped it in newspapers and put it in a paper bag with weights on it again and forgot it again.
Anyway it's now on display in the house and I think it still moves a little .

REgards Boysie

 

[Blister]

Colin , I did see a while ago a article on this ( Cant find it now ) but the person made a clamping system

Basically it was 2 pieces of 22mm ply square , and 6 lengths of studding , holes drilled at equal indexed intervals

The problem bowl was inserted between the top and bottom sections and clamped in position and left for a while to dry

 

[gnu]

Sometimes wooden plates can warp quite badly and then go back quite flat they readjust to the atmospheic conditions. It is worth leaving the recess undreneath for truing up plates and bowls.
But slghtly warped paltes and bowls can add to the rustic charm of wood and if you see old turnware in museums and antique shops they are inevitably as warped as anything. I have an old antique round sycamore breadboard that is quite warped but it adds to the character of the item.

 

[Thermo]

mines gone back a little now, have to say it looks quite pleaseing as its a fairly even curl on it!

 

[Wood spoiler]

I have mine under a press. I had a look this morning and I thing it is going back but still a definite twist....

Keep watching this space.

But from what Chas had to say I suspect the worse

 

[CHJ]

You might just be lucky, reducing the chances of frustration in the future by selecting a lump of wood more likely to stay stable is a dark art in its own right, one that most of us seem to have limited success with.

 

[Wood spoiler]

You might just be lucky, reducing the chances of frustration in the future by selecting a lump of wood more likely to stay stable is a dark art in its own right, one that most of us seem to have limited success with.

You are right about the dark art!

Normally I think you just shrug and move on, but certain pieces generate an affection from either a nice piece of wood or a feeling of a job well done, that or resenting the fact that an expensive bit of wood has let you down!

Still the experiment of attempting redemption is just one more education process!