's legs have cracked

[jefferson]

A few months ago turned some redgum table legs for me out of 92mm square KD.

The post is somewhere around - did one leg at the Oct Turn-on at Tooradin and posted them all up a couple of days later. Signature work I might add. I was very, very pleased with the product. The kind of outcome you'd expect from stock at $50 per metre.

I properly cared for the timber, no question. I let it acclimatise to my shed for around 2 months and had the turned legs back to that environment well inside a week.

Now I am aware that timber moves. Small checks and cracking out of redgum is to be expected, but not this:

90927

Those rules are .5mm thick, so the cracks are a worry.

At this point, I'm thinking of having very stern words with the supplier, who happily took $2K from me for a decent stash of redgum.

Or am I barking up the wrong tree? I think the 100mm KD blanks were not properly seasoned!

Jeff

[Calm]

Here (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?p=827271#post827271) is the post for the legs from . Post # 262

Thats bad luck Jefferson, I'll be very interested in the answers from the "more knowledgable".

Maybe should have given them a coat of oil if that is the final finish??:?:?

Cheers

[Cliff Rogers]

Was it just the one that cracked or did they all crack? :?

If it was just one, it may have been a fault in the timber just waiting to get out.

If they all crack, best you blacken the cracks & make a feature of them. :D

[dai sensei]

Get out the CA. Use thin to help stop the crack extending, don't fill it, then medium to fill the rest

[rsser]

Redgum usually moves no matter what you do.

Half a mil? Fill it with Timbermate or Intergrain, slop on your finish. No one will see it. Unless they're under the table in which case their head is likely to be spinning anyway ;-}

[DJ’s Timber]

That pretty much normal for Redgum in that size, it is virtually impossible to dry Redgum over 2" thick without checking or splits.

If that all you get, I'd be pretty happy with that, I can show you some 5" x 5" that I've had sitting here seasoning for the last 5yrs and I'd be lucky to get 30% out of the lot from a quick look over it last time.

I also have 4 legs here that I'm turning up for a table for myself and they had been seasoned for a good 7 yrs and they were 4 of the 6 that I recovered from about 20.

[Tim the Timber Turner]

's legs were never his best feature.:no:

But he does have a cute technique with the skew and his gouge action is just pure magic to watch.:2tsup:

[Groggy]

's legs were never his best feature.:no:

But he does have a cute technique with the skew and his gouge action is just pure magic to watch.:2tsup:Urgh! Fair go Tim, the scars are only just beginning to heal from his dancing video :oo:

[Honorary Bloke]

So Jefferson, they are YOUR legs when they are in good nick, but when they crack they suddenly become 's legs. :rolleyes: :D:D I do that all the time meself.

[jefferson]

Sorry to confuse you Bob. They remain 's legs until burnt. I could never claim them as my own as the turnings are simply superb. Maybe one day....

And I did spit the dummy today and got the super glue out. I have some sanding to do, but at least I feel I have tried to halt the cracking.

And I'm still not satisfied with the timber merchant!

Jeff

[Wongo]

Fill the gaps with 2 part clear epoxy, scrape it and sand it smooth. Try Bostik, it only costs $5 at Bunnings. You won’t tell the difference.

Don’t worry about it. It is nothing.

[rsser]

The only fine furniture I've seen made out of redgum (which btw isn't saying much) is that produced by the guy in Hall's Gap in the Gramps. He has a shop/shed on the Sth side of town.

His timber supplier uses a combination of air and kiln drying, which took some time to work out.

FWIW I've heard that simple kiln drying is not the best for turning timber. No idea why.