1st time with a recess

[Steve Russell tucker]

Hello All , I'm not sure if this is ok so I wanted to get some input from you all , so I glued this blank up340285340286 and I want to use a recess for the first time the blank is 3 7/8 deep and about 8 inches wide that pencil line was just a basic idea of the placement but i was wondering if it would be safe to use a recess on this blank because of the way the maple and walnut is glued up , any advice would be helpful , and greatly appreciated . thank you & have a great day S.

[Roger Chandler]

A recess means expansion mode from the chuck jaws. That might induce failure of the glue joints, as pressure is exerted, and might not show up as a weak spot until you have taken a lot of wood off, and then could explode, potentially causing serious injury. Perhaps a tenon might be best on a glue up like this, unless you are really confidant in your glue joints and do not intend to over extend the jaws.

For safety's sake, I would use a tenon, and not a recess......the tenon would allow for a clamping mode, and could be only 1/4 inch deep......dovetail configuration and dovetail jaws would be best, IMO.

[Steve Russell tucker]

outstanding sir! these are the kinds of things I would've never considered even though it makes perfect sense after reading! thank you very much !

[Reed Gray]

As some one who uses a recess most of the time on my bowls, I wouldn't use one on that piece. With end grain, expanding into a recess is like driving a wedge into a piece of wood to split it. Tenon would be much better.

robo hippy

[Tim Boger]

I do things a bit differently, I take 2-3/4" Maple spindles and cut off a 2-3" piece, I then thread them with the beall tap ... these become glue blocks for my work.

The picture is close to what I do ... works for me.

340289

[Don Jarvie]

Ditto for what Roger and Reed said. I did the same thing making a pencil holder with a similar glue up. When I went to clear up the bottom I put the chuck jaws inside the opening and due to the thinner wood I split it in half.

You live and learn.

[Steve Russell tucker]

Thank you very much ! I really appreciate it I'm glad I didn't have to get hit with pieces of maple to learn that .also Mr. Boger I have a beall tap I did consider using because I wanted to keep as much depth on this bowl as possible I love that thing it does work really well ,again thank you all very much for the great advice!