Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 8 of 8
Thread: Vic Ash Splinters after sanding
-
13th February 2019, 07:09 AM #1SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 237
Vic Ash Splinters after sanding
I think splinters could be the right word. If anyone has a better word, I’ll use that.
Ive just glued up a Vic Ash panel for my new desk top. After running it through the drum sander at 100g on the slowest speed, the surface has got all these little splinters in a few spots. I’ve epoxied up a some gum veins and will start with the orbital sander today.
Anyone seen this before and have any remedies? I’m planning on sanding to 240 and using OSMO PolyX to finish. My initial thought is something to do with the growing process being quick compared to some recycled timber that I’ve used which is much denser.
-
13th February 2019 07:09 AM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Posts
- Many
-
13th February 2019, 10:18 AM #2
Yeah, and it's a PITA.
At work I often came across that when making Vic Ash window/door frames - at customer's request - but they were usually to be primed - also at customer's request - so I could get away with either gluing down or prying out and filling. Still a PITA though.
I suspect that you're right about the cause. Tas Oak (the real McCoy, not the generic builder's term) is the same tree/timber but doesn't seem to suffer the same problem. Then again, the tree does grow much faster in Vic than in Tas.
At home, when I suffer the same problem I usually carefully spot glue them back down with drops of CA, being very, very careful not to get squeeze-out or any CA on visible pieces. (It penetrates slightly and makes finishing a nightmare.) The CA is just to hold them flat in position, not to fill the cracks.
Then I'll put dabs of whatever finish I'm using (generally an oil) over each crack, ensuring that it seeps into - and fills - the cracks. Wait a week or three to thoroughly dry, then put it through the sander again, removing only a bare minimum. Pretty much just enough that it removes just the surface finish; I don't want to expose new 'splinters' after all!
Once I'm happy, I finish as per usual.
Done well, it looks like a minor flaw in the grain and most people just don't see 'em. I can always pick 'em with a little effort, but I know they're there. That's the maker's curse, innit?
- Andy Mc
-
13th February 2019, 01:22 PM #3SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jan 2015
- Location
- Latrobe Valley
- Posts
- 160
At the mill I used to work at, we would often see this in plantation trees (Vic Ash). The boards used to come out of the kiln looking like they had cooked them too quick. On the end grain there was always severe checking - even on quarter cut boards where the stress had been taken out of the log. But the blue gum timber never had the same issue.
-
13th February 2019, 04:31 PM #4GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Oct 2014
- Location
- Caroline Springs, VIC
- Posts
- 1,645
I call it 'piping', but I think the correct term is honeycombing. It is a drying defect and very common with tassie oak/vic ash. I call it piping because there is open pipes running right through the length of the timber. When that pipe runs out through the face of the board, you end up with these splinters. When I first make a cut in a board, I check the end grain and if I see any piping, I will usually down grade that entire board to be used for hidden components.
-
13th February 2019, 10:16 PM #5
This problem has been around since the late 1980s.
I made a set of chairs and had to CA glue a lot of small fissures before finishing.
Havent used much Vic Ash since.
H.Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)
-
13th February 2019, 10:22 PM #6SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 237
Thanks for the feedback. I've put a few drops of super glue on a couple of spots. Hopefully it'll be allright. If not, I'll make up a new top down the track.
-
15th February 2019, 04:48 PM #7
Yes, it's cell collapse from the dying process. The last few decades they've just been pushing this stuff through and kiln drying it far too quickly. The end result is that the the cells shrink too quickly and collapse. Smaller mills don't tend to have this problem as much (but it still can occur), but large mills don't really care about it. The stuff still sells and that's all that matters.
You do get it in Tas. oak but not quite as much as the Vic. ash. Superglue (CA) is your best friend here.
-
15th February 2019, 11:12 PM #8Senior Member
- Join Date
- Mar 2006
- Location
- West Chermside
- Posts
- 119
It is from internal checking due to existing internal stresses or more likely from bad kiln drying. Look at the end grain and you will see the short tell tale splits in the end grain. I have treated a couple of small box sized pieces with Minimax wood stabiliser under vacuum. I only did it because it was a really nice quarter sawn piece of ash that I found particularly attractive. Otherwise I would have tossed it and started over. I have also tried super glue without any joy, the next time you sand it new voids appear. All the best.
Similar Threads
-
Brush Box Splinters.
By double.d in forum BOX MAKINGReplies: 3Last Post: 30th May 2016, 07:20 PM -
A new bod with splinters.
By Virgil in forum G'day mate - THE WELCOME WAGON -Introduce yourselfReplies: 14Last Post: 9th January 2009, 07:44 AM -
Splinters
By AlexS in forum WOODIES JOKESReplies: 4Last Post: 12th January 2007, 04:16 PM -
!*@#ing Splinters!
By Driver in forum WOODWORK - GENERALReplies: 41Last Post: 24th February 2006, 01:34 PM -
stopping sleeper splinters !
By oldbones in forum WOODWORK - GENERALReplies: 12Last Post: 1st November 2005, 07:40 PM