Worth Saving?

[Glenn Hodges]

I really like fruit wood because of all the color and figure you can find in them, but I find I pay the price of fighting cracks. This old type of pear was turned green, soaked in DNA, and then after it was completely dry I finished turning it, patched the obvious cracks with black epoxy, and sanded it. It is 9.5 inches wide X 3.5 inches high and finished with lacquer. Was it worth saving or are the cracks to bad? Let me know what you think, please. What would you have done different to save it? Thanks for your comments and help.

[Bonnie Campbell]

I think the bowl looks great and you made a good save on it. I'm partial to 'saved' woods myself. I don't count them a loss unless they blow apart beyond repair.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Glenn the bowl is a beauty and well worth the save. I will do almost anything to save a piece of wood especially if I have did any turning on it. You did a great job on it.

[Mike A. Smith]

Glenn, I think you did great job on the cracks, definitely a good save.

[Terry Quiram]

You have to be the judge of that. I don't even mess with a bowl that is cracked. I have so many roughed and ready to finish it isn't worth the effort to fight a crack. I like the shape of your bowl.

Terry

[Steve Schlumpf]

Glenn - looks like time well spent! Very nice looking bowl! Great form, color and finish!

[Dennis Peacock]

Looks good to me. The cracking I've experienced in some fruit woods is the primary reason why I don't mess with fruit wood any more. I did my best on some Apple and all my stuff cracked really bad and very deep cracks. So I gave up on most fruit type woods. Maybe I can find some decent wood to give it a try again, but I guess I'll have to wait and see.

[joe greiner]

Sure it's worth saving. "Accidents" like that are design opportunities. The more the merrier.

What would I have done different? Well, I've gotten partial to coffee grounds (fresh, not used, although used is good too), mixed with clear epoxy to make a mortar; the epoxy absorbs some of the color from the coffee. After sanding, some of the coffee grounds have some lighter elements showing, and it almost looks like terrazzo. Crushed turquoise looks good; also fine copper or brass powder; I haven't tried any of those yet.

Well done, BTW.

Joe

[Jim Becker]

Absolutely worth "saving". And consider that we are making objects out of wood. Wood cracks naturally. Embrace that to your artistic advantage!

[Ed Scolforo]

I agree with the others, that's a good looking bowl and worth saving.

[Don McIvor]

Glenn-

I turn a lot of fruit wood and cracks are just part of bargain. Like you I think it is beautiful material, turns wonderfully, and therefore is worth the trouble to patch up. As Joe mentioned, you might want to explore some other fill materials. I use a lot of turquoise for this purpose and the results never fail to elicit a favorable response.

I've not had much success with the DNA soak on fruit wood. Better just to rough turn, bag, and stick in the back of the shop somewhere.

Don

[Jerry Allen]

I like it Glenn.
Looks good to me.
Like Jim said, it's wood. Part of the deal.

How are you tinting the epoxy? I have been saving coffee grounds because I saw some work by a gal, who's name I can't recall, that was beautiful using epoxy and coffee (and other materials like malchite) grounds to fill large cracks. I have some nice pieces that after finishing got hairline cracks. I wouldn't even attempt to try to fix them although on a couple of occasions I have used a little CA for a repair. Still not worth trashing.

found her site: www.lynneyamaguchi.com (http://www.lynneyamaguchi.com)

[Paul Engle]

Good call Glenn,
Cracks are common to us all ..... the challenge for us to grow is how we deal with them, choosing to toss in the dumper admits defeat and an unwillingness to expand and grow. Wise decision friend!!!The Master deals with cracked stuff all the time, I know HE deals with me on a constant basis, the result is I have decided ... or rather learned to not give up.

[Hilel Salomon]

As you can see, different turners react differently to cracks and such. I'm lazy about coating wood I pick up and so almost 90% of the bowls and platters I make have at least hairline cracks and some have major cracks. I almost never throw these away. I use sawdust and ca, though I think that I'll try the epoxy and coffee grounds too.
Ultimately, it depends on what you intend to do with your work. Do you want to sell them? Where and to whom? Bernie's stuff is beautiful and from what I can tell sells with or without fixed cracks. Most of my bowls go to friends and family, and they don't mind the fixed cracks.
Your bowl is very attractive and I'm glad you opted to fix rather than discard.
Regards, Hilel.

[Rod Sheridan]

Glenn, very nice indeed.

Cracks, and how the turner incorporates them, make wood interesting.

If you want defect free, buy plastic bowls, if you want evidence of a life well lived, look for cracks.

Regards Rod

[Glenn Hodges]

Thanks for all your input and suggestions. I also use coffee grounds and CA glue to fill cracks. Jerry, I put painter's tape on one side of a bowl if the crack goes all the way through the bowl, and I tinted this with a tint I bought at the hardware store they use to tint paint. They have all different colors of tint and they will sell you some of it if you take a small jar like CA comes in or a baby food jar.

[Jerry Allen]

Thanks Glenn. I'll give it a try.
As it happens I had a laminated glue up go a lttle wrong yesterday for a peppermill. I tried a fill with epoxy and coffee grounds and it came out okay. I would have preferred not to have done that and it will probably be turned away anyway. I just wanted to test the method for what we are talking about using it for--large cracks and holes.
Pretty easy to do. The only thing I think I'll try next time is regrinding the coffee grounds. Seems like a bit finer grind would look better. I grind it fine when I make my coffee, but it swells some when used.

[Glenn Hodges]

I agree Jerry, I would like the coffee grounds to me finer.

[steven carter]

Glenn,

I don't think you should save this at all...... in fact, you can send it to me and I will see to it that is goes where it belongs........On my mantle! Great save, beautiful piece.

Steve

[ROY DICK]

Imho that is a keeper for sure. I think that is one great bowl. great job on the save.

Roy

[Allen Neighbors]

Glenn, you did a good job on it. The cracks look good, and the contrast of the epoxy and the wood is great!



I have some nice pieces that after finishing got hairline cracks.

Jerry, I use fresh coffee because of the look of it when you really look close. I buy Maryland Club, because it's the cheapest I could find. I take about a third of it, and run it through the Vitamix until I have powder. I use this powder on small cracks.

[Jerry Allen]

Allen,
So it's lighter colored? What's the difference you see?
I can see where fine would be easier to fill with and have a more uniform texture. I'm also thinking about cutting it with a light colored sawdust might be interesting.
(I'm too frugal to not want use the coffee first. I guess it would have to be real cheap.)