Splitting issues.

[BluesFan]

I decided to save some money and bought a 2x2x24 of yellowheart and bloodwood.

I cut off one end and sawed it into blanks.

Now the problem. After several days I start seeing splits in the thin parts.

I have no idea of the moisture content of the wood but the ends were sealed.

I am finishing by danding through 12000MM and then a couple of coats of Mylands Friction Polish and some BriWax.

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[wayneis]

Sounds like it was not dry enough, if you are using a furnace you can put some on or near a heat duct and let it dry out for a few days. If not there are ways of using a microwave to dry wood.

Wayne

 

[BluesFan]

Before I turn it?

 

[Doghouse]

Yes,
As wood dries, it shrinks. Your house may have forced hot air and an have a low RH. Most commercial heating systems also have humidifiers in them. It makes them more efficient. If you have a situation where you have a very low RH and a higher "RH" moisture content of the wood, the water will leave the wood until equlibrium occurs. That is why I keep my wood in the shop for a week before turning. Although it will not get it completely equal, it helps a lot.

Another problem could be heating the wood up too much while sanding. That can cause many small cracks that do not show up for a while.

 

[Rudy Vey]

There is some advise here how to dry wood with the micro wave, check the front page. Important is that you weigh the wood before and after you had it in the microwave oven, also let it cool before you weigh it. If there no weigh change the wood should be dry. Another way, if you have time on hand, is to drill the wood and then pack it in dry saw dust or what I have done is to pack it between layers of plywood. Make sure you rotate the wood every couple of days and also change the sides of the plywood. Here my times are between 10 days and one month for drying wood.
Rudy