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View Full Version : 'Nother experiment... What'll happen?



OGYT
14th September 2006, 03:06 PM
This is a test: :eek: :cool: :D
Had some green cherry. Roughed out a 24cm dia bowl to about 2cm thick. Put it in the soap solution on July the 6th. Took it out this morning, and let it drain for about two hours. 68 days?
Mounted it in the chuck, and trued the outside smooth, all the while, dodging slinging soap. :p Put on the homemade bowl steady, and reduced it to about 8 or 9 mm thickness. While turning the inside, I kept the outside wet, by spraying with some of the soap mixture. ('cause I'm so slow, most of my wet wood cracks on the lathe) :mad:
Then, when I scraped the inside smooth, I had the speed up, and slung out a lot of moisture. Removed the bowl steady, and sanded it. Final grit was 400, wet sanding with Lemon Oil. Kept it wet with Lemon Oil all afternoon. Set it aside. One small pith spot on the rim, and one in the bottom. (I lied before, said there was only one pith area):(
The test: Is it going to crack? If so, how long til it cracks?
Got the pics in when I edited.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
14th September 2006, 03:27 PM
What's the betting that if it cracks, it'll be at the "One small pith spot on the rim"??

Cherry's a lovely wood, pity the stuffs so damned fractious!

Wild Dingo
14th September 2006, 03:48 PM
Pity the posts sans pic :( A pic would be nice eh? :( yeah a pic woulda been real nice :rolleyes: seein as were all such visual charectors downunder ;) but a pic woulda been nice... love the look of cherry :cool:

hughie
15th September 2006, 01:12 AM
Had some green cherry. Roughed out a 24cm dia bowl to about 2cm thick. Put it in the soap solution on July the 6th. Took it out this morning, and . One small pith spot on the rim, from a limb. ]
other pith.
The test: Is it going to crack? If so, how long til it cracks?
I'll add a pic to this post if I can, later, but if not, I'll get it in another post


Al,
I leave my bowls to dry out for a couple of weeks or so before finishing. Usually in cardboard boxes and then finally under the bench, keeping an eye on them and touching any cracks up with CA before they get to big. Some times I give them a coat of boiled linseed if they become real light. It seems to settle the movement down and makes then less susceptible to vagaries of the weather.

I suspect that seeing you have finished it with lemon oil it wont crack but may move around...oval etc.

OGYT
15th September 2006, 02:41 AM
OK, Dingo... and all. Pics are up! I lied about the pith areas. (embarassed) They're little, but there are two of 'em. Got up this morning and it was weeping oil on the inside. So I put more on the outside.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
15th September 2006, 03:05 AM
Mmmmmm... that's a nice piece of timber. With that grain I can see why you're wary of it cracking even after treatment and I suspect that Hughie's spot on about movement.

In a worst case scenario (besides cracking, of course) you may find noticeable changes in thickness (thinner at the pith, etc) resulting in "craters" and/or "blisters" but even then I think the overall grain's nice enough that they'd give it a bit of a natural look, a la natural edges, instead of detracting from the bowl.

Let's just say that I wish it was one of my pieces. ;)

And don't forget to keep us posted as to how it goes... Are you planning on applying any finish besides the lemon oil further down the line?

OGYT
15th September 2006, 05:16 AM
Skew, I plan on putting a sealer on it when it dries out... probably Danish Oil... or maybe a wash of 25% Lacquer/75% Thinner. Either one will be a good finish, and allow a good luster to be buffed on.

Hughie! The slow boat finally got here...I got the pods... they're awesome... good job of pickin' them out! Can't wait to turn one, but I've got to go move a cord of fire wood.
I also usually let my bowls dry out before finish turning, but I've just recently had to throw three Bois d'Arc bowls on the woodpile, because it's just too hard to turn when dry. So I decided that I'd treat Bois d'Arc just like I do oak... turn it to finish, wet, and let it move the way it wants to while drying out. (Get some interesting bowls that way!) And when I took this Cherry out of the soap, I decided to do it the same, just as an experiment. Hope it don't fall apart on me.

Hickory
15th September 2006, 06:06 AM
If you had gone with Alcohol to dry your timber it would have taken on a couple of weeks and you wouldn't have all that slinging soap to contend with. Aside from not having to worry about if it will crack or not.

I prefer the Alcohol. Easier, quicker, cleaner.

Nice Bowls, Is it Wild Cherry or Orchard Cherry?

TTIT
15th September 2006, 09:50 AM
Love the honesty in your 'edit' notes - refreshing!:D Great looking bowl - hope it holds together for you!:)

OGYT
16th September 2006, 03:33 PM
Hughie's spot on, awright. It's beginning to oval a mite already. It feels considerably lighter today, too. We'll see what else.......

hughie
16th September 2006, 10:08 PM
It's beginning to oval a mite already.


Al,
Oval should be ok, have you got enough on the bottom to flattern it out?
I've had a few go oval, just smooth em up and flattern out the bottom to stop the rock. Most folks think I've got a talent in making ,em oval....:D :D



I've just recently had to throw three Bois d'Arc bowls on the woodpile, because it's just too hard to turn when dry.

Hmmm must be darn hard, struck a few hard ones but never had one beat me yet. Had a few burls from out the back of NSW, managed to chew em out. At least they take a unbeliveable finish, you can polish some of em up like chrome without any wax/laquer etc....love it!

OGYT
17th September 2006, 04:47 AM
Speakin' of the hard Bois d'Arc: Two of em broke at the bottom tennon, the other split half in two, tail to head. That one was interesting!!!