Wood Shrinkage?

[Whaler]

Yesterday I turned a piece of rosewood burl for a Zen, I glued the tube in, squared the blank with my pen mill, turned and finished and all was ok when it came off the lathe. I brought the blank into the house to show it to LOML and left on my desk. This morning the tube is sticking out of one end a fraction of an inch. I have never had this happen before.

 

[Wheaties]

Wouldn't make sense for it to shrink that way. What glue did you use? If it was gorilla glue, that would cause it to move. Is the other end still flush? If so, then I guess it shrunk, which would be odd.

 

[1080Wayne]

What glue , and how long did you wait before turning ?

 

[Whaler]

I glued with med CA and waited overnight. The tube was flush at both ends when I took it off the lathe. I just looked at again and there are a couple small cracks and some bumpy areas that weren't there this morning it was smooth as a baby's butt last night. Finish was 8 coats of BLO/CA.

 

[1080Wayne]

Am stumped as to how the tube could have moved . My eyes sometimes deceive me when working under artificial light , and the cold light of day shows me my errors .

I take it that you sanded immediately after putting on the finish . The bumps and cracks you saw the next day probably indicate that the finish was not fully cured . I wait a day before sanding , but many here don`t . The thicker the finish , the longer it will take to cure .

 

[Whaler]

Am stumped as to how the tube could have moved . My eyes sometimes deceive me when working under artificial light , and the cold light of day shows me my errors .

I take it that you sanded immediately after putting on the finish . The bumps and cracks you saw the next day probably indicate that the finish was not fully cured . I wait a day before sanding , but many here don`t . The thicker the finish , the longer it will take to cure .

The tube didn't move the wood shrunk, the tube is flush with the blank at the other end. I squared with a pen mill in my electric drill prior to turning, there is no way that the tube would remaind proud doing that.
I cut another blank today, drilled it and turned it round without a tube, I'm going to let it set in the house a few days glue the tube in and then finish it. I am thinking maybe moisture.

 

[altaciii]

Such a nice looking blank too. Ashame when that happens. I hope your next one turns out just as nice.

 

[ersRFP]

My professional opinion is that the wood is not even close to near dry. You would not see any shrinkage overnight if it was. Wood does not shrink lengthwise but burl can be an exception. The grain does not run straight so it is possible.

 

[1080Wayne]

Nick
I`m not familiar with the Zen , but many pens are not too critical as to tube length . I would cut off the exposed tube and try it . The blank is much too nice to abandon . The other alternative is to glue a contrasting piece to the exposed tube . I would not do either for at least a week , to make absolutely sure that it is dry .
Wayne

 

[toddlajoie]

Nick
I`m not familiar with the Zen , but many pens are not too critical as to tube length . I would cut off the exposed tube and try it . The blank is much too nice to abandon . The other alternative is to glue a contrasting piece to the exposed tube . I would not do either for at least a week , to make absolutely sure that it is dry .
Wayne

I've made a few Zens, and it should handle that amount of variation, you'll just have to be sure to get the ends screwed on solid. My concern, along with a few of the other comments, is that if you had that much shrinkage overnight, I would expect more to come. probably not as dramatic, but likely, and splits and cracks are going to come with it. I'd let this barrel sit on a shelf for a few weeks, then look at it and see if a refinish will save it.