An Adventurous Maple Bowl Morning

[David Delo]

Maybe stuff like this doesn't happen to you........but I wake up today all excited and ready to go tackle this maple pile because I had some extra free time today. Wanted to get at least 3 good sized bowls from this blank that measured 14" x 6" once I got it all rounded off and flat. This is the 3rd blank from this batch of maple and it's got a few punky spots that I've been able to clean up to acceptable levels with a little walnut oil and a sharp 40/40 grind.

This blank was the same way but as I inspect everything before putting the coring tool on the lathe I discover a few cracks (see pics) and found a pith the entered the top and exited the side of the bowl near the top edge and top. After hemming & hawing & thinking about what I should do......decided to dig into the bowl down about 2 1/2" to see if I could get rid of it.

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Well it didn't look any better underneath than it did on the surface............so next decision point......what to do next? Decided to core out the inside and get at least 1 bowl out of this mess. It would be a 9.5" bowl maybe 3" deep. At this point...okay I'll take whatever I can get.
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I start coring and everything is going well and know I'm just about to a point where I can break away the core and I'm about 1/2 second away from withdrawing pressure............and the core pops out and falls to the floor and splits into 2 pieces!!!!!!!!!

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After a couple not pure thoughts..........back to the drawing board. The inside of the remaing bowl looked and felt solid and crack free so I faced off the rest of 2.5" from the top of the bowl and cleaned out the inside to uniform thickness. Ends up being 14" x almost 4" and just shy of 1.5" wall thickness. CA glued all the cracks and achorsealed it. It's stored away for now not to be seen again for awhile.

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I'm no expert at all this stuff and maybe I was being too cautious and could have just cored the thing from the start but just didn't feel comfortable cutting through suspect areas with a coring tool.

[Michael Mason]

I have had quite a few pieces that after I started roughing had cracks become visible. I either cut the cracked portion off if possible with the bandsaw, or make firewood out of it. It is too dangerous to me to have a piece of wood spinning in circles with cracks in it. It hurts my feelings to throw it out, but hurt feelings are better than a hurt head!

[Doug Herzberg]

David, I've spent a lot of time saving bad wood. Occasionally, it's worth it. as for the danger, well, I've had a good life. Just kidding. I take every precaution.

This looks like a beautiful tree, but you have a bunch, don't you? I've been having trouble with yellow CA stains, as you know, but I know a guy who's good with an airbrush. Hope to see it when you're done.

[charlie knighton]

......cracks = danger.............not good stuff........there is more wood

punky places.....use imagination as long as not going to come apart or in your tendon.......in travels out west I see pottery in museums that are "in the style" of the ancients, then the next display is glued together pottery shards......they are great......they would go for much more outside of a museum, sort of name your price......I try to incorportate that value/oldness/antique in my calabash zia series

[David Delo]

Charlie, Doug & Michael,

Thanks for the advice and wisdom about safety. I've got a few more pieces of these blanks and if I get another one like this one.........it will become a bunch of birdhouses.

[hu lowery]

CA doesn't withstand shock well at all. This type of repair wood glue may be best. Maybe two part epoxy.

I bought a bunch of CA awhile back, looks like I am going to eat most of it, limited uses for it.

Hu

[William Bachtel]

If its cracked find a piece that is not cracked, make firewood out of it. Start with sound wood, so you end up with a nice bowl, and no damage to your head.