Sycamore Bowl with crack - Question

[steven carter]

When I rough turned this sycamore bowl, I had problems getting it to balance. Even when the bowl was perfectly round, it had a lot of vibration. I turned the lathe off and spun the bowl by hand and it would always end up with the same orientation. The orientation was always with the spot on the bowl that is where the crack is. I looks like a branch inside the tree, but there was no branch evident on the outside of the tree. I decided to finish the bowl, I sealed the crack with CA. The question is what do you all think about what the crack does to the overall aesthetics/value of the bowl? Is this something that should be sold, or kept at home? The bowl is 11" x 3.5". You can see the crack in the 1st picture, and I've added close-ups also.
Answers/comments appreciated.

Steve

[Scott Lux]

Clearly that should be kept at home. Specifically, my home. Looks great to me.

[Jim Becker]

Steven, although wood is a natural material and can have cracking, I'd probably keep this as a "user" since many paying customers will not embrace the fact in the first part of this sentence. But that's really entirely up to your customer base, too...you may very well have one or more of them who will overlook a crack in favor of that wonderful figure!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Steve - it is understandable that the bowl cracked where it did, but you sealed it - shouldn't be a problem. If it can be sold really depends on your customers. I know some folks who won't look twice at a piece if it has inclusion, bark, knot holes, cracks, etc - they think the piece is defective. Then there are those folks who see the piece as art and all those imperfections only add to the charactor of the work and make it all the more desirable.

You did good on the bowl! If you want to sell it - I don't believe you will have any problem, especially with it's historical background!

[robert hainstock]

The growth rings in the last two pictures tell me you included the Pith, or center of the tree. If so that will almost always leads to cracking. I've done it a couple times and regretted it. :eek::eek::)
Bob

[Bernie Weishapl]

Steven great looking bowl. Looks good to me and if the CA does it job you have a great candy dish. I don't think the crack is from the pith. The crack would start at the center of the pith and I wouldn't think it would go across the grain. Anyway I have never had one do that. Most of the ones that I have did endgrain with the pith they start in the dead center of the pith and grow out.