Cracks with DNA

[Dan Forman]

I had great luck with my first 10 or so bowls, but the last two have cracked while drying after being soaked in DNA.

One is walnut, and developed several cracks in the end grain section on one side, about the first third of the bowl, but starting below the rim. Interestingly, these have mostly closed up, and only one is still visible.

The other bowl is locust, not sure what variety, and has many cracks in the end grain, on both sides of the bowl, again not extending to the rim, the edges of which were slightly rounded on both bowls. Both of these were soaked for several days until I could get to them, but I have seen other posts which said that soaking over time is not a factor.

Previous efforts were in elm and maple, and no cracks or problems in either. I added a bunch of fresh DNA before doing the last bowl, as it was bigger and I needed more depth. All bowls have been wrapped in brown paper bag, and stored upside down, with space provided under the bowl for circulation. All were turned to the 10% thickness ratio.

Are certain woods more difficult to dry successfully? I have heard that fruit woods can be challenging, but walnut or locust? Does anyone have any feedback on this?

I really don't want to wait for 6 months and go the anchor seal route, don't have enough space to store 6 months worth of roughed out bowls before I can start finishing them.

Thanks,

Dan

[David Christopher]

Dan, Ive had a few bowls that would crack after a few days in the brown bag...I just used thin ca and put it back in the bag and still had good luck.......and yes some wood will crack alot easier than others...maybe try the ca and put it back in the bag and hopefully it will work for you...good luck

[John Fricke]

It's possible these cracks were already there. There is a condition that is called the Shakes I believe that induces stress cracks in the wood that are very hard to detect until the bowl starts drying and moving.

Most cracks can be successfully repaired. Tight cracks just a lil CA. Wider cracks can be turned into a beauty feature by filling with epoxy and filler such as instant coffee, brass, turquoise or other stone.

[Don Eddard]

I'd say 2 out of 12 is probably about the normal odds I've seen with DNA. No matter what method, we all lose a few from time to time. As has been said, it can very from one piece to the next, and some pieces are just going to crack no matter how hard you try to keep them together. As John suggested, just fill them if you can and go on to the next one.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Dan I wouldn't worry about a couple of bowls. I have had the same thing happen with anchorseal, DNA, and bagging them. Use some thing CA.

[Dan Forman]

Luckily neither of the cracked are all that special, just wondering if that is within the normal experience range, which appears to be the case. Will be interesting to see if the locust one closes up any like the walnut did.

Dan

[Steve Trauthwein]

Dan,

If the locust cracked that badly I would suspect it is black locust. I have had really bad luck with it cracking. If one of the pieces can be sacrificial, it might benefit you to cut it in half and have a look at your wall thickness. Different wall thicknesses can cause cracking because of different drying rates. Good luck!

Regards, Steve

[Barry Elder]

Sometimes, two pieces of the same log can be totally different after soaking in DNA. One will turn into a beautiful piece and the other a disaster. Such is Mother Nature!

[Reed Gray]

If it is cracking, one of two things could have happened. One is that the wood is drying too fast. The other is that the cracks were already there and you didn't see them. I tried the paper bag method on Madrone (the most difficult wood to dry I have found), and it didn't do very well, even when I doubled up the bags. I believe the origional DNA soaking pioneer wrapped them differently than the bag method. First, round over the edges of the rim. Next, wrap the outside with a couple of layers of newspaper. You can secure it to the rim with some tape, or as I do, with some of the stretch plastic film that you use to wrap boxes up on a pallet (available at any office supply store). Cut out the paper in the inside of the bowl, but leave the rim covered. The idea is that the outside will dry faster than the outside, and that pulls the outside in, in a compression mode. This has done wonders for my sucess rate on Madrone. I do start them off on the floor usually, then up on a wire rack after than. I do turn to final thickness first, rather than the twice turned bowl. A bowo that is 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick will be dry in about 2 weeks max. It is pretty dry where you are, so inside in a cool spot is best, with no sun or wind.

robo hippy

[Dan Forman]

Just to be clear, I have been wrapping the outside with brown paper, covering the rim and taping but leaving the inside open to the air, as in the PDF by Dave Smith. I will look for some of that plastic, as masking tape leaves the rim portion pretty loose.

Just looked at the locust bowl, and the cracks don't seem to stand out as much as yesterday, will keep tracking them.

Dan

[neil mackay]

What I have found is that there is no universal method other than time. I use a number of methods and each one depends on the timber.
DNA, Liquid soap+water 50/50 mix, water soaking. Have yet to try boiling or get real serious about microwaving my rough outs.

Store them in cardboard boxes a few together at a time, check regularily and fill any developing cracks with CA.

What I have found "down under'' that wide range of climate and rainfall means I must use a wide variety methods including just plain old time, seal the ends and just wait.