Help please

[GLENN THOMAS]

This is a vase I made few days ago. The portion I hilighted in red is the only portion that I was able to hollow. The vase is just too big for the tools I have. It is 17 inches tall so you can see that there is a lot of wood remaining. The wood wasn't very dry but also not very green. The pith is about 3/4 of and inch off center and a very very small crack has started at the bottom. I have been told the wood is pecan but I'm not too sure about that. I would like to save it from cracking but don't know if that is possible. I thought about drilling the pith out from the bottom but not sure. :rolleyes:

Any suggestions ?

Thanks in advance

GT

[Scott Hubl]

Where do you live?
If your near me you can use my Don Pencil Scorpion and Stinger tools and my 3520 to finish it.

Can you post some pics of the crack?

Maybe that will help if others can see what its doing and give advice.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Glenn give it a good dose of thin CA glue. I turn a lot of end grain with the pith in and use it all the time. Make sure you soak it in a pretty good circle. It will turn nice. I also like to use 5 minute epoxy mixed up and then mix it with DNA (denatured alcohol) to the consistancy of milk. Paint it on till it won't soak in anymore. Let it dry and that will stop cracking. Both will do the job. I have the Monster HF articulating arm rig and it has a 3/4" turning bar for deep turning. That is what I use or the Monster captured rig.

[ryan kelley]

As for the hollowing out since your tools are not big enough you could split it where your tools will reach safely finish hollowing it glue it back together and conceal the joint with a couple of beads. As for cracking, I too would go with the CA route. post a pic when you get it finished.

[Darryl Hansen]

use ca on the outside where you can reach it. then pour some lacquer into the insides and let it soak into the crack. The two together should stop the crack from continuing

[Allen Neighbors]

Glenn, before I built a hollowing rig, I made a few long slender vases like that. It's really a requirement that you have a good chuck, and a steady rest. The steady rest will lend support to the piece while you're digging it out. Also, it takes time, and thought about tool presentation, to go that deep successfully. But believe me, if I can do it, anyone can.
I used home-built Oland-type tools to do all my hollowing. The cutters I get are 1/4 x 1/4 x 2-1/2" HSS with extra carbon added. I buy them from use-enco.com. I also use the 3/16" and the 1/8" cutters. The deeper you reach across the toolrest, the smaller cutter is required. Depending upon your size, you also might need a "harpoon" to have enough heft to offset the forces of long reaches. (The link will explain the "harpoon" (thar she blows!). :U
If you'll check out http://www.aroundthewoods.com you can find some instruction and photos about how to build a lot of your own tools. Darrell Feltmate's site is an awesome site for woodturner's to get some advice. He's a good man, to put so much time and effort into helping others.
I second Bernie's advice, and the advice about the CA. The lacquer on the inside advice, also... but I'd wait 'til it was hollowed to the bottom before I added the lacquer.
Also, a lacquer wash before CA will keep the CA from staining the wood around the crack.
Hope this helps.

[Glenn Hodges]

Glenn, one of the things I like about woodturning is problem solving, and it looks as if you have a problem. You can do any of the above or you can drill the vase out from the bottom, and replug the hole in the bottom with a piece of matching wood.

[GLENN THOMAS]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to offer advise. I knew going into this that I would probably not be able to finish it properly but I just bought a new Nova 1624 and could not resist the temptation of turning the biggest log that I happeded to have. Keeping the piece on the lathe was the easy part, I have a Nova chuck and a homemade steady rest the works fairly good. The problem was my home made hollowing tool, it worked just fine on smaller pieces but I broke the handle off while trying hollow this vase. The crack didnt get much bigger over the last couple of days so tomorrow if I get a chance Ill tinker with it some more.




Where do you live?
If your near me you can use my Don Pencil Scorpion and Stinger tools and my 3520 to finish it.

Can you post some pics of the crack?

Maybe that will help if others can see what its doing and give advice.


Scott,

I would love to take you up on your offer but there are 2 problems. 1st, I live in Jacksonville Florida. 2nd, Im afraid I might like the 3520 way too much and before you know it I might have to sell a kidney or a lung on e-bay to get one of my own.


Thanks again for all the help and Ill try to post some pics when I can.

GT

[Burt Alcantara]

Glenn,
I've got the 1624 also. Just added the extension bed so I don't have to remove the tailstock every time I want to hollow something. I've turned on a few OneWays and a 3520b in classes at the local Woodcraft. I love all the machines and it's easy to have machine-envy.

However, the little Nova will still do everything you'd ever want. The only feature I'd like from the big guys is variable speed. But, I usually turn everything at the same speed unless I've got a big log on that needs a slow speed roughing.

While it's nice to build your own tools, I'd say concentrate more on learning just a few purchased tools so you have a basis for comparison.

Hope this helps,
Burt

[GLENN THOMAS]

As for the hollowing out since your tools are not big enough you could split it where your tools will reach safely finish hollowing it glue it back together and conceal the joint with a couple of beads. As for cracking, I too would go with the CA route. post a pic when you get it finished.

I have thought about doing a large piece like you suggested, but I wasn't too sure how well green wood would glue back together.

GT