This Stinks!

[Dave Novak]

Never seen this before. I re-sawed some 8/4 cherry. Absolutely no indication from the outside faces of the board that there were cracks inside. After cutting, look what I found! They're all over the place. I brought this up in an earlier thread about how I might fix smaller cracks I found when I used another part of this board, and someone suggested it might have happened when the tree was felled. However it happened, it's pretty distressing to me as I now have to make the dreaded hour+ road trip each way to get more wood. Please excuse me for whining, but I really liked the figure on this board, it matches other parts of the cabinet perfectly, and I was so close to done!

[Peter Quinn]

I'd just smile and move on. Not much else you can do with such a fickle medium.

[Fred Belknap]

That's kind of the nature of cherry. Sawmill people call it rat tail cherry.
You might try putting some filler in the crack, it probably won't get any bigger. I have used some sanding dust mixed with polyurethane and filled the cracks.

[Jason Beam]

That there's case hardening. It was dried too fast, i'll bet. Terrible thing to do to wood, too. Practically junk at that point - might as well burn it. :(

I would personally see if the place you bought it from would take responsibility for it. If they, or their supplier, dried it, then they'll know well that was a case of improper drying.

[Jeremy Williams]

I agree with the drying problem. I have seen this in some cherry too, and just had to work around it and lost a fair amount. I'd be talking to the person who dried it. Sometimes they just aren't aware of it, other times there isn't much they can do ...

[harry strasil]

I bet it came off a north facing slope.

[Chip Lindley]

What we really see here is honeycombing, as the result of casehardening. Lumber that is dried too quickly. The exterior dries faster than the center and internal stress develops these checks. Better control of the drying process prevents this defect.

Windshake is quite another thing. Also, trees which grew leaning, rather than upright. These stresses and defects are already in the lumber before the drying process.

[Stephen Edwards]

Another term for this condition in Cherry is called....Rustic Cherry!

[Jim Becker]

That is a bummer, but it does happen. I'll also suggest it's case hardening and you're probably more susceptible for "hidden" surprises with this thicker lumber in that respect.

[John Thompson]

Agree with case hardening....

Sarge..