Walk away from these bowl blanks?

[Steve Mathews]

I have a couple of partially turned bowl blanks from the previous owner of my lathe that I decided to complete. Before getting started on the inside the outside developed a few cracks. Actually they were there before even working on the outside but seemed superficial. Maybe this is why the previous owner didn't finish them. Should I walk away from them?

[Bob Bouis]

Depends on whether they're cocobolo or pine.

You could always turn them down a little to get rid of the cracks. Or fill them with epoxy or similar. But generally it's not worth it.

[John Keeton]

Character defects are one thing, but I don't do cracks.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Only if they are small or on a burl.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Steve - this is one of those times that photos would really help.

[Steve Mathews]

Sorry, I should've included pics in the first place. The first 3 show the bowl I was working on. It had 2 hairline cracks initially but after turning on the outside they seemed to disappear. After the faceplate was removed the hairline crack now shown appeared. My concern is I don't want to work on the inside if it's going to fly apart on me.

The second set of pics show an almost complete bowl with a hairline crack that runs from inside to outside. I can see finishing this bowl and not falling apart but the crack may be ugly since the wood is so clear.

357746 357747 357749

357750 357751 357752

[John K Jordan]

I personally wood toss them. I see nothing spectacular enough to trigger heroic efforts.

JKJ

[Steve Schlumpf]

I agree with John - toss them. Nothing there really worth the trouble.

[Steve Mathews]

That was easy ... and unanimous. Consider them tossed.

[Reed Gray]

Well, if you are the really frugal type, you may be able to split them down the crack lines,especially if there is a companion crack on the other side in just about the same place, and get some end grain turning pieces. For bowls, more trouble than they are worth...

robo hippy

[Greg Parrish]

If tossed, toss them in The fire wood or wood furnace pile though. Don't waste them. :)

[William Bachtel]

Pitch them out, fast.

[Jay Mullins]

My theory: If you can't turn'em- burn'em

[Dane Riley]

Bunch of wimps:cool: I've patched way, way worse. Thin CA will keep that crack from spreading. Thin shellac will keep it from showing.

That said, I've also kicked myself from wasting the time to fill them.

The problem with the second bowl is it looks like a dog dish. Every one of us started out making bowls that look like this. Make more shavings and make the profile more of a curve. Unless your dog needs a dish.

[Randy Walker]

Perfect for testing some painting, staining, dyeing, texturing techniques. Also great for a junk bowl. For out in the garden, or nuts and bolts in the shop.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Perfect for testing some painting, staining, dyeing, texturing techniques. Also great for a junk bowl. For out in the garden, or nuts and bolts in the shop.

This! and yes to the CA. A lot of good practice -- someday you might want to fill a crack in a Koa bowl, or ... But do play with the shape more after filling with some CA

[Brice Rogers]

There have been times when I've had a vessel with a crack that I ended up filling with sawdust and CA or sawdust and epoxy or coffee grounds and epoxy or CA. If they are hairline cracks I've sometimes just filled with medium CA. But I've also moved some to the firewood pile if the cracks were too severe and/or if they wouldn't look very nice with a filled crack.

On one silver maple natural edge bowl with cracks, I decided to use it for practice. I added a couple of contrasting "bow-ties" (sipo mahogany) or dutchmen to stabilize it. I learned a bunch. I get a lot of comments from people looking at that piece remarking how much they like it.

I've also filled some wider cracks with a turquoise-colored filler. On some I've even added a small amount of fine glitter. If you don't go overboard, it can look very nice.

So, if you have the interest, use the cracked vessels for practice.

BTW, on a few occasions when I questioned the structural integrity of a piece, I'll wrap it with stretch-wrap and perhaps filament tape. I may also fill the cracks. I don't want to take any significant risks. I don't need any new injuries.

[John K Jordan]

Perfect for testing some painting, staining, dyeing, texturing techniques. Also great for a junk bowl. For out in the garden, or nuts and bolts in the shop.

I once made the ugliest bowl in the universe and had it in a pile for burning when my vet saw it. I gave it to her for cat food on the promise she would NEVER tell who made it.

Some time later I went to an event at her house and there was the bowl on the table holding snack mix or something. When I walked up she said "Hey everyone, this is John. He's the one who made this bowl!" Ack.

JKJ

[William C Rogers]

I once made the ugliest bowl in the universe and had it in a pile for burning when my vet saw it. I gave it to her for cat food on the promise she would NEVER tell who made it.

Some time later I went to an event at her house and there was the bowl on the table holding snack mix or something. When I walked up she said "Hey everyone, this is John. He's the one who made this bowl!" Ack.

JKJ

oh John, are you sure you don't have a picture somewhere? (And if so would you post it)? Any commission work from that "showing"?

[Steve Nix]

Another option357792

[Prashun Patel]

I'd toss the second one. But the ambrosia maple one, I'd probably keep. I suspect that crack will hold fine. If it were me, I would have run some CA into the crack, then completed it. I like the form of that one. I wouldn't toss. Your call.

[Mark Greenbaum]

I really hate to waste my time on junky wood, but if I already invested an hour, I'd put CA and fine sawdust of contrasting wood in the crack, and turn to finish. I had a hollow form blow out on me, so I flat sanded the area of the missing piece and glued a piece of OO with Titebond 2 to fill up the void. I presented it Tuesday night at show and tell and said it was a 2 segment hollow form. Good practice, and will make a great gift.

[William C Rogers]

Steve, turning bowls with cracks is a risk. My suggestion is that you don't try until you have a lot of experience turning. Picture below is from a bowl I turned and notice a very tight crack, barely visable. I had already finished sanding the outside and some enhancement. There was just a little tearout on the inside I thought I could clean up. I did put CA on it before my attempt. Maybe if I had more experience I may have saved it. My speed was at the high end for a bowl that size and I suspect the crack opened some and the gouge caught it and the bowl exploded. Faceshield and out of the line of Fire, but several small pieces hit the shield.
357794

[John K Jordan]

Steve, turning bowls with cracks is a risk. My suggestion is that you don't try until you have a lot of experience turning. Picture below is from a bowl I turned and notice a very tight crack, barely visable. I had already finished sanding the outside and some enhancement. There was just a little tearout on the inside I thought I could clean up. I did put CA on it before my attempt. Maybe if I had more experience I may have saved it. My speed was at the high end for a bowl that size and I suspect the crack opened some and the gouge caught it and the bowl exploded. Faceshield and out of the line of Fire, but several small pieces hit the shield.
357794

Glue it together and submit it to a gallery. Looks like Art to me...

JKJ

[William C Rogers]

Glue it together and submit it to a gallery. Looks like Art to me...

JKJ

I tried gluing, but wasn't happy withe the results. So I'm making an urn. I really liked that bowl!

357806

[john taliaferro]

Pass them on to a gardener , drill two holes and let them go they will last a year or two and be enjoyed better than burning .