Oak bowl question

[DougieH]

Just finished a small oak bowl, about 4in by 2.5in. As I was shaping the bottom, a couple of cracks appeared. Was this bad technique on my part or were the cracks already in the wood? Its not a big deal for me as the bowl was turned to hold my loose change. I also included a photo of the bowl on the lathe. Its held with double sided sticky tape (the kind used for carpets). I turn the base to the same size as the faceplate I will use, then position the base on the tape, on the faceplate. I also used it on a 9in platter. It was fairly heavy cut I was taking out the bowl, and it never moved at all. Used a 3/8in bowl gouge, a 3/4in skew, and a 3/4in curved scraper on it. Because of the cracks, I brushed a load of Rustins Button Polish into them to try and seal them a bit, then polished with Black Bison wax. Hope this is of interest.

Doug

 

[CHJ]

They look like natural stress cracks that were already in the blank, just opened up because you have removed the supporting wood that was preventing them opening up.

 

[Jonzjob]

Unless you are using the skew as a scraper it is not good to use it on faceplate turning. It really is designed for spindle work.

That bowl looks good to me and as Chas said probably just stress cracks. As you are going to use it, no problems..

 

[gus3049]

Again, its just in the wood. I have a pile of wood offcuts from various jobs and 60/70% of it has this sort of crack in it. All the wood I use has been air dried for years before I get it. Its oak. Its like that.

As I tend to cut round all the cracks, I get a lot of smaller offcuts which is brilliant for the woodburner. Burns hot and long. AND.... someone else paid for it - Great.

 

[Jonzjob]

Tight wad! :twisted: :twisted:

 

[gus3049]

Tight wad! :twisted: :twisted:

Oh well,

its all right for you lot down there in the rich south, but some of us poor hard working peasants up here have to slave away, 25 hours a day, 365 days a year just to put food in our mouths. You have no idea how hard life is, we...... :-({|=

 

[Jonzjob]

25 hours a day? Huh! I do that in a month (homer)

Anyway, enough of you skiving, back on thread.

How dry was the wood when you started Doug? If it was pretty dry then I shouldn't think it will move much further?

 

[DougieH]

Thanks for the replies. The wood was in a job lot of bowl blanks I picked up from the local ad mag. The chap reckoned some of it was a good few years old, so well dried out. Yes John, I try to clean the cuts up a bit by using the skew at an angle and being very light handed. Thats also the deepest bowl I have done. Thanks again

Doug

 

[gnu]

You need to very careful tunring stuff like that which is full of shakes and could fly of your lathe and give you a bit of a haircut.

 

[DougieH]

Hi Gnu,

I have had more flyoffs while using a tenon and the 3 jaw chuck, than using the tape. On occasion I have to use a screwdriver to lever the thing off. The hard part is getting it centralised. I try to turn the base to the size of the faceplate, so its easier to balance. I fix the faceplate with screws, to shape the base. I hollowed out the bowl with just the tape. The only thing needed is the finish on the base to be completed to get good adhesion. As said before its the tape used to stick down carpets. Hope this is of some use.

Doug