Just a minute...

[TTIT]

I know how ice sculptors feel now - all that work and in just hours its all history! :( I've been wanting to do this piece for ages but was waiting for something with the right contrast - the Lancewood (Acacia Shirleyi) I cut a couple of weeks ago (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showpost.php?p=418261&postcount=21) was perfect with it's bright yellow sapwood. Problem was that Lancewood is famous for splitting so I figured I had to just turn it as quick as I could, give it a quick oil, take the pics and watch it fall apart :o:(. Next problem was leaving it in the shed for the day after turning the main vessel before I could get to the lid/finial. By the time I got home from work the bugga had already cracked half way around the middle - it wasn't even going to wait for the pics :eek::mad:. Not to worry - must be something else around here with similar sapwood ..... maybe some Bendee or Myall?!?!

180 high, 140 across the wings. 1 coat of Danish (still wet). Gidgee finial (not glued in - will use it on something else one day)

[Slow6]

thats stunning ttit!

shame its not going to survive :(

[Jackson]

Fantastic piece TTIT, both the timber and the form. The design is superb. I'll store that away for future reference.

[lubbing5cherubs]

that a pity it gorgeous job you done there. YOu can't do nothing to save it?
Toni

[Caveman]

Hey TTIT - ditto the others comments - a special piece.
You might get lucky and still find it in one piece in the morning.

Real nice wood.

[tameriska]

Looks great, really like the contrast in the timber and the design.
Maybe an idea, keep it on the shelf as a pot-pourri bowl? The cracks were designed to let the scent out :D

[TTIT]

YOu can't do nothing to save it?
ToniWish there was Toni! Lancewood is so bad for splitting that when they cut it for yard rails (most common use) they cut it 2 foot longer than they need and leave them a couple of days to settle. When they're ready to put the rails up, they cut a foot off each end and wire them on to the posts straight away to beat the splits.
I might try roughing another one out and nuking it next. If it doesn't move too much, I might be able to patch the cracks with brass.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

'Tis a shame, that's truly a nice piece. But at least the pics will linger on.


Not to worry - must be something else around here with similar sapwood ..... maybe some Bendee or Myall?!?!

Boree, Brigalow, Budgeroo, Doolan, Dead Finish... many of our "desert woods" have similar contrasts between the heart and sap woods. :)

I've quite a few largish pieces of all the above here but can't post any pix 'til the weekend as the camera's on hols again. :rolleyes: I'm sure you'll find an alternative timber that won't give you quite so much heartache.

[joe greiner]

That is sooooo good looking. Is it really, really shot? Isn't there anything you can do to put it back together? Even with warts and all, it would still look good.

Joe

[tashammer]

that is just sooo beautiful, both the wood and the design.

here's an odd thought, have you thought about making a mold of the original and then casting a copy or two?

[Gino]

Very nice piece, damn shame it had to crack.
What you could do is incorporate stiching of some sort on the crack, Tinned metal wire perhaps. (drill holes either side of crack and tie together from the inside)
I think I read about this in a book where this craftsman in England would stich the cracks and make it a feature of the item. And if he ever got a piece back from a gallery which had cracked while on display he would stich it up and send it off to a different gallery and someone would end up buying it. I think he also used to make two curved tapering cuts from from either side of the crack and clean up the cut.
Sorry I'd like to give a reference to somthing but I can't remember where I got this idea from.
No way know I'd be throwing that beauty out.:D

regards

Gino

[hughie]

Problem was that Lancewood is famous for splitting so I figured I had to just turn it as quick as I could, give it a quick oil, take the pics and watch it fall apart :o:(. Next problem was leaving it in the shed for the day after turning the main vessel before I could get to the lid/finial. By the time I got home from work the bugga had already cracked half way around the middle - it wasn't even going to wait for the pics :eek::mad:. Not to worry - must be something else around here with similar sapwood ..... maybe some Bendee or Myall?!?!



Vern,
Top Job! love the shape and balance. Hmmmm if it splits maybe accentuate the split as a design feature, a bit like Ron Kent does
http://www.hanacoast.com/Kent2.HTML

Thats provided it does not go thoroughly out of whack and peel open like a banana :D but then...... ;) ya neva know wid art :D

[TTIT]

Boree, Brigalow, Budgeroo, Doolan, Dead Finish... many of our "desert woods" have similar contrasts between the heart and sap woods. :)
I haven't got any Boree and I've never seen Doolan but the others just aren't as 'bright' as Lancewood. Brigalow would be about the closest and I do have a little - might give it a try.


Hmmmm if it splits maybe accentuate the split as a design feature, a bit like Ron Kent does
http://www.hanacoast.com/Kent2.HTML

Thats provided it does not go thoroughly out of whack and peel open like a banana :D but then...... ;) ya neva know wid art :DIs there anything you HAVEN'T got a link to Hughie!???!!!;):D:D:D:D:D

[RufflyRustic]

TTIT - that is one drop-dead gorgeous turning!! and it is a huge shame it split. As Hugie said, Is there any slight chance of making the split a feature, eg lacing with a bit of leather ?

Cheers
Wendy

[lubbing5cherubs]

I was just thinking the exact same thing as Wendy. Must be great minds think alike hey. It be a pity to have to turf it.
Toni

[Mr Unknown]

nice job looks good

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I haven't got any Boree and I've never seen Doolan but the others just aren't as 'bright' as Lancewood. Brigalow would be about the closest and I do have a little - might give it a try.

True. The Lancewood in your pic is drop-dead gorgeous. Most of the woods I mentioned above tend to be a teak-brown heartwood, although I've a couple of pieces that are almost a dark chocolate colour.

But none have quite the same appeal. Pity.


Is there anything you HAVEN'T got a link to Hughie!???!!!;):D:D:D:D:D

Wood Turners Anonymous? :D

[rsser]

FWIW TTIT, it's a beaut piece and if I'd turned it (as if!) I'd have gone for a taller lid by way of visual counterbalance.

Also FWIW, heat build up (from cutting and sanding) doesn't appear to help the desert timbers. I've had splits show up in Gidgee bowls right towards the end of working them and I reckon heat from friction was prob. the culprit.

That said, there can also be other causes such as moisture change or simply removing the mass that was keeping stresses in check. Always a bit of a lottery.

[tashammer]

TTIT - that is one drop-dead gorgeous turning!! and it is a huge shame it split. As Hugie said, Is there any slight chance of making the split a feature, eg lacing with a bit of leather ?

Cheers
Wendy
That makes sense, after all ya know it was going to split more likely then not, so working with tendency to split when it's a characteristic of the material is certainly going with the flow. Yes? I wonder what it would look like with a turuoise, emerald, ruby etc colours in epoxy would go? (I have my head full of that u-bewt plate that someone did not very long ago).

[TTIT]

FWIW TTIT, it's a beaut piece and if I'd turned it (as if!) I'd have gone for a taller lid by way of visual counterbalance.

Also FWIW, heat build up (from cutting and sanding) doesn't appear to help the desert timbers. I've had splits show up in Gidgee bowls right towards the end of working them and I reckon heat from friction was prob. the culprit.

That said, there can also be other causes such as moisture change or simply removing the mass that was keeping stresses in check. Always a bit of a lottery.Started out with a taller lid Ern but it looked a bit like an ice-cream sundae so I dropped it down a bit.:o I've seen cracks develop from heat in a lot of these woods too so I was very aware of it on this piece - not that it helped any.
By this afternoon, the main crack was 2/3 of the way around the middle - should have an egg-cup and a funnel in a day or 2.:D

Thanks everyone for the comments, tips and ideas. Once it stops movin' around I might try the stitching bit - could be just the ticket.:D

[SawDustSniffer]

just a thought before you stitch it , what about brass or crome/stainless steal spacer tubes between the cleaned up cracks , say about 10mm gap ,might look good , but it's your project and you can do what you want with it

[Cliff Rogers]

As well as roughing & microwaving, try also roughing & soaking in water, and/or freezing and/or boiling.
You might convince it to warp instead of cracking & then you can finish it later.
Hope you have plenty of it to play with. ;)

[BernieP]

G'day TITT

Great piece of art, just take heart that a lot of great art hasn't survived in one piece.

Cheers Bernie

[Gil Jones]

TTIT, stunning lidded vase!!! Attractive wood too. Crack or not, it is lovely.
Turquoise is my favorite in cracks. I have been wondering how “copper sulfate” would look, in place of Turquoise (??).

[OGYT]

TTIT, that's gorgeous timber. Ya did a good job on it, too. If'n I were in your place, I might try some turquoise or copper mixed with epoxy. That way it would be useable to put something in...
'Course the stitchin' might just be pretty snazzy, too. Copper wire, Leather strip, hemp... then you'll have an art piece for sure!!

[TTIT]

just a thought before you stitch it , what about brass or crome/stainless steal spacer tubes between the cleaned up cracks , say about 10mm gap ,might look good , but it's your project and you can do what you want with itNoted!;)


Hope you have plenty of it to play with. ;)Common as weeds round here Cliff!


Turquoise is my favorite in cracks. I have been wondering how “copper sulfate” would look, in place of Turquoise (??).Hmmmmmm.....

[Hickory]

That is some Loverly work and a shame as the others have said, to let it go to waste, Oh well, a good practice piece.... Now when you turn the next one, get it close to final and then immerse in Denatured Alcohol over night. Pull it out tomorrow and wrap in brown paper for a couple or three weeks or a month or so. See if it doesn't prevent the checking. Turn only to about 10% of the final and allow for some ovaling of the shape as it cures. Leave enough so that you can re-chuck the piece and finish the cut & remove the oval.

I am not lucky enough to enjoy your Lacewood or other beautiful Aussie woods (oops, Timber) but I have had a great success with our local hard to dry woods by using Denatured Alcohol. Alcohol is a desiccant and will take the place of water, after substituting itself for the water it will evaporate more quickly and leave the cells intact. If that doesnt work try PEG (PolyEthylene Gycol) it is used to replace the water and leave the cells intact as well although it is much more expensive.

Or another Chemical popular with wet wood is Propylene Glycol which serves as a Humectant – a substance that helps retain moisture content, or simply –it prevents things from drying out. That’s why some pet foods are soft and chewy. This, of course, is a good reason it’s in cosmetics and other personal care items. It makes the skin feel moist and soft. And, the products don’t dry out. Propylene Glycol is also found in baby wipes and even some processed foods!

[Cliff Rogers]

...then immerse in Denatured Alcohol over night. .....
If nothing, it will make better firewood. :p

Only joking, interested hear if it does help.

[Hickory]

Forgot to mention.... Propylene Glycol which serves as a Humectant – a substance that helps retain moisture content, is better known as Antifreeze or the primary substance in antifreeze. I used to belong to a local woodcarvers club (before my hands & wrists gave out) and they used to soak green logs in PEG and PG to keep them from checking.

I was introduced to the Alcohol a couple of years ago and have been very satisfied with the results. Should restate that.... I was introduced to the Alcohol soaking of wood as a means of controled drying.... I was introduced to Alcohol as a beverage Many years ago.... And was well pleased with the results of either or both methods and uses of alcohol.... :o