First Christmas ornament this year

[Brian Brown]

So........ I was making the first ornament of the year last night. You know me, I don't like to wait to the last minute for these kind of things. :rolleyes: I had just finished sanding the interior, and was ready to part off, and glue the handle. Just as I was read to start the cut, I heard a loud crack, and the ornament went flying in pieces. 2 pieces to be exact..... very exact..... so exact that the pieces were almost perfectly symetrical. I sanded one piece to see how much was necessary to take off to make it flat. Answer, almost nothing. Here are the two halves.

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Bet you can't figure out how I am going to recover from this one. I have never seen a break so clean or straight before. This is cedar and if the glued in contrast stripe works, it will have a purple heart handle. Besides Purple heart, what species do you think would work well as a contrast stripe? Something soft like cedar, so I don't have such a mismatch when I re-turn and sand (purple heart is hard as concrete).

[Bernie Weishapl]

I might try Redheart, walnut or mahogany. Boy I can't believe that thing split that slick. Unbelievable. Of course I have had cedar do some strange things.

[Richard Madison]

Great split Brian. Need a tutorial on how to do that. Mine always go all zig-zag.

Meanwhile like Bernie's idea of walnut or redheart insert for contrast. They would still be a bit harder than the cedar.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wow Brian - I don't get that smooth of a cut even when I use the bandsaw! I think it would look really cool if you use the same wood as the handle. Would give it one of those - How'd he do that - effects! Looking forward to seeing your fix!