Any hope for cracked bowls

[Tim Elett]

As posted the bowl I'm turning cracked over night not a big deal but I just want to finish as a live and learn project, any way to keep it from being firewood? I don't want to go on if it won't be safe.

[John Hart]

Cracked wood is generally unsafe but I'd have to see a picture

[Tim Elett]

I'll take a picture tomorrow, but I don't think it is possible to fix if you think its unsafe,I need to learn more about drying wood blanks.

[John Hart]

The main thing is to seal the endgrain while the rest of the wood is drying.
Cracks develop at the endgrain because moisture is lost more readily there

[Russell Nugent]

Were you turning green wood? If I have to leave it overnight(which I rarely have to) I'll spray it down with water and wrap a bag around it.

[William C Rogers]

Agree with all above. Cracked bowls are dangerous. Weight is the best way to determine drying. I use a postal scale and the wood is dry when the weight no longer changes. Moisture gages are good when fresh cut, but only check the surface moisture. As said, turning wet and leaving even for a few hours spray and bag.

[John K Jordan]

As posted the bowl I'm turning cracked over night not a big deal but I just want to finish as a live and learn project, any way to keep it from being firewood? I don't want to go on if it won't be safe.

I don't remember seeing another thread about your cracked bowl. I don't know of any adhesive or filler that will let you continue as if the wood had never cracked.

Where is the crack? If cracks are in the rim and sides the piece can easily come apart when turning. If the crack is small and only at the rim, it might be safe to cut the top off the bowl with a hand saw or something and turn the bottom into a much shallower bowl.

Cracks in the bottom, perhaps in the curve between the base and the side, can develop if the base is too thick. This is sometimes seen in dry rough turned bowls. The thinner sides and rim can warp from the shrinkage stresses from drying but often a thick base can't move the same way so the stresses can cause a crack to open instead. With a lot of experience you might decide if a crack of a certain size in a certain place is likely to be dangerous but even then the risk of injury is possible. Safest thing is to not spin it again.

BTW, if turning wet wood it's best if possible to turn it all before stopping, outside and in, with an even wall thickness. To keep the wood from drying too fast while working some people even stop the lathe and spritz it occasionally with water. When pausing for supper or sleep it helps to keep the wood wet. Some people spray well with water then cover tightly with a plastic bag.

Some things to do with a cracked rough-turned bowl:

Cut it down the middle to examine the thickness profile. Richard Raffan recommends to occasionally cut a completed bowl in half to evaluate progress while learning.
Carve it, perhaps distress it, use a propane torch on it, add paint, stitching, wire, nails, etc. and turn it into "art." People have done all of these and more, occasionally with some success.
Just give it to a kid along with a can of nails and a hammer. When young my boys loved pounding nails into wood.
Take it outside and plant flowers in it. Depending on the wood it could last for years.
Drill a hole in the bottom. Look up inverted tomato planter or sky planter. These really work. A "rustic" one might look nice.



JKJ

[Tim Elett]

Thanks all,I keep learning, and turning, hopefully others will read the post and not get into trouble.