Persimmons Hollow Form Green Turn Cracks NEED Ideas Please

[Bret Schaffner]

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Here are pictures of a Persimmons Hollow Form I started Last night is 34% moisture content I Have the outside shaped and need some suggestion on filling the cracks you see.

Would you guys fill them BEFORE Hollowing to make it more stable?

Would you guy go with CA, or Epoxy with Sawdust? I not worried about the cracks showing I figure to have that as the character of the form.

If using epoxy first how will that turn when hollowing, I never us epoxy other then the epoxy putty.

Thought on fill and the moisture content? I was planning on doing Hollow in a single turn.

Any input would be appreciated
Thanks
Bret

[Dennis Nagle]

THat looks like a disaster waiting to happen. That one is too cracked for my taste.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

+1 for disaster. Do you turn with a cage? You could try to turn out the cracks. Looks like you're still between centers. May be easier/safer to give up on this one......

BUT on the other hand, I know people who love that cracked stuff. I had a cracked bowl blow up on me. But I do turn with my cage down, when I feel it necessary. It did save me that time when the cracked bowl blew.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Highly recommend finding another piece of wood! Even if you filled all the cracks - the completed piece would look like a massive repair job and not something ascetically pleasing. Plus - it sure doesn't look safe at this point!

[Dan Hintz]

I'll agree that it's a potential disaster, but I've seen much worse turned. I would be inclined to try if that were mine, but I'd make sure the cage was in place. I like deep colors, so I'd go with a fire red, jade green, or hunter blue resin with metallic swirl. I also love hematite, and such an infill I think might look pretty tight on such a piece. It's a shame the lines aren't more ragged, like around a burl or rotted piece... the straight lines might detract a bit.

[Harry Robinette]

Why chance it. I'd fill it with the other bad wood in the scarp pile.

[Richard Jones]

Scrap it and move on.

[Dale Miner]

My 2¢ worth.

What you have in the pictures is a trip to the emergency room or worse waiting.

When a piece of wood is that badly checked, it is unsafe to try and turn large objects from it. The only thing that can be done with badly checked wood from a turning standpoint is cut the piece through the checks and make smaller objects or spindle stock.

Please do not try and hollow this piece. In some situations blanks with checks and cracks can be turned with care and special methods, but this piece is to far gone. Life is short and wood is plentiful. Start over on a better piece.

[Tim Leiter]

I wouldn't think it is worth saving either. It would probably just look like a cobbled up piece and it would be dangerous to turn such a very badly cracked piece of wood.
Tim.

[Dennis Ford]

I agree that this piece is dangerous and should be abandoned. Persimmon shrinks more than most woods as it drys, these cracks will get bigger before they get smaller. Filling the cracks now will not work due to the high moisture content. Filling the cracks after the piece is dry might work if the piece (and you) survive.

[Bret Schaffner]

thanks for the help guys