Blowout Advice

[steven carter]

My son who is a golf course superintendent called and asked if I would like a piece of willow to turn. After reading last week's post about willow, I was happy to try my hand at it. While removing the core of the bowl, I noticed that it looked like there was some possibility of cracks on both sides of the bowl. I was just about to stop and apply CA, when the pieces blew out and bounced off my face shield. I retrieved the pieces and found that they were not damaged and would fit right back in. Now I am wondering if I should glue them back and finish the bowl, or leave them out. I kind of like it with the pieces missing and am leaning towards finishing like that but don't know if it would be too strange:confused: It won't look like anything I've turned before that's for sure. What do you all think?

[Tom Sherman]

Steve if you proceed do so with caution looks like you may have encountered some 'Shake', and there may be more waiting to surprise you.

[robert hainstock]

Tom is right on, and if you stick tthose pieces back, use a good grade epoxy, not hardwarestore brand. That is beautiful stuff, and I would try to save it. But then I hate to throw any weel figured wood away. :eek:
Bob

[Steve Schlumpf]

Steve - don't know if I would spend a lot of time with this one because of the type of separation. I would suggest epoxy the pieces and then set the bowl aside and see what else happens to it before trying to turn it. You never know - that may be the only problem - or it could be just the start. I'd wait for a while.

[Kim Ford]

Steve;

I had the same thing happen to an old growth doug fir bowl. Seems like the more I worked on it the more it resisted and to neither of our benefits. I would be careful with any type of glue back because it looks like a pitch pocket that came apart. If that is the case then it sometimes is like glueing jello to jello.

Good Luck and let us know what you do.

Kim

[Bernie Weishapl]

You got some good info. If it were me I would try to finish turning it without the pieces glued. If you do glue them back make sure like Robert said and use a industrial grade epoxy. Like I said if it was from wind shake which a lot of willow and cottonwood seem to have out here I would leave them out and give it a go.