Repairing cracked blanks or blanks to be?

[lago]

I have several mesquite blanks partially turned. I quit when I saw that it might crack. I also have some other blanks ready to turn and see that some of these might be a problem when they make it to the lathe. All of this is wood that I cut a year or so ago.

I saw a finished bowl a few years ago and it had cracks that were filled with Inlace. The local Woodcraft used to carry it a few years ago but not now.

Any suggestions on what to use to fill in the cracks or should I just toss them in the box for BBQ smoke?


Thanks

Lago

 

[sbwertz]

Try this. Open up the crack wider and fill it with turquoise, jasper, hematite, or some other crushed stone.

 

[Monty]

Turquoise looks good with mesquite.

 

[lago]

But with what kind of epoxy or filler?

Lago

 

[sbwertz]

Crush the stone into a combination of small chips and powder (I put about a teaspoon of chips into the cut off finger of a nitrile glove and beat it with a hammer on an anvil!)

I use a dremel with a dental drill, but you could use any small bit.

Turn your piece until it is almost finished size. Open up the crack or hole with the dremel (all the way to the brass on a pen) Pinch up some of the chips and drop them in the crack and add a drop of thin CA. If it is a deep crack, like in a bowl, build up layers of chips and CA. When you are a little above the surface of the wood, add a pinch of the powdered stone to fill in the area around the larger chips and add another drop of thin CA.

Put it on the lathe and spin it. While spinning give it a short blast of accelerator.


I use a Pen Pro to turn the stone down flush with the wood, but you can also do it with coarse sandpaper. Sand the infill smooth and examine it for voids in the stone. If you have small holes, put a drop of medium CA on the hole and rub in a bit of the powdered stone. Turn it smooth again and re check for voids. When it is all filled, sand and finish as you normally would. I use about 12 coats of CA/BLO, until the area with the infill is completely smooth and you cannot feel any roughness there.

See more examples here

http://www.penturners.org/photos/index.php?c=1&u=10650

 

[Woodlvr]

Here is a link to some sources for different types of stone for filling in cracks. I hope that this helps you some.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=81095&highlight=crushed+stone

 

[RMckin5324]

Is the stone materials available in local craft stores like AC Moore or Michael's? I need to fix something fast.

 

[ed4copies]

Another approach is to use coffee grounds---mixed with epoxy or CA. (If you use CA, make sure the grounds are dry, first).

 

[Rick P]

Any bead store will have the stone you need in the form of beads and charms.......tons cheaper than the precrushed stuff as well. Just leave it in a heavy plastic bag and beat the beads/charm with a hammer.........the clerk will look at you like she is considering whether calling the police is a good idea if you say......"what they are made of is more important than the style of bead, Im just going to beat the **** outa them with a hammer."

 

[Rick P]

Saw dust will work with the method Ed mentioned as well.

 

[Rounder]

I have used the shavings from turning the wood. It matches well and looks good too.

 

[jbswearingen]

Another approach is to use coffee grounds---mixed with epoxy or CA. (If you use CA, make sure the grounds are dry, first).

I did this with two blanks that would have been trash otherwise. I'm hoping to turn them in a couple of weeks.

 

[nava1uni]

You can also get crushed stone from jewelry suppliers, Some of the vendors here, CSUSA, who also sells inlace.