HRB Cracking

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Pen&FishingCT

Pen&FishingCT

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Sep 17, 2008
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either making pens or fishing
Ok, I made 2 pens made with HRB, and my friend called me telling me that both of them cracked,they were quite significantly cracked.
they didn't go in with heavy preassure.
What could be wrong?I know HRB is soft wood, to avoid this issue, is it possible to dip the blank after is turned in Minwax Wood Hardener for strength?
Your take on that please.
Thanks
 
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When we started looking for burl wood, I became aware of a "difficulty"!

EVERYONE wants great looking burl. So, it is sold long before it is aged. If the wood is not very figured, it is the last to sell and may, therefore be a little more "dry".

So, if you find GREAT figured wood, chances are, it is still fresh. Age it before turning.
Or, don't be surprised if it moves AFTER being made into a pen.
 
If you have a moisture meter then you can check before you use the blank.
I bought some blanks last year of HRB and they had almost 18% moisture when they arrived. I needed one for an order and did the microwave drying method to get it down to about 8% before turning.
 
Wood is a natural product. After the pen is made, it will still expand and contract.

Brass (as in brass tubes) also expands when heated.

Customers have to be informed that extremes of temp or humidity can be detrimental to their pens!!

Of course, first YOU have to realize this is the case.

Where you from???

Ed
 
Pen&FishingCT said:
I had these blanks for quite a while in my shop, this happened on 2 blanks bought separately from 2 separate sources.
Very disappointing.
Click to expand...

If sealed to prevent moisture movement, a while should be in double digits of months after thinning the coating to allow slow drying.

Heavy coatings can take a loooonnnngggg time to let moisture drop.

If in doubt drill and wait a week and then test to see if the tubes still fit.
 
I've had success with HRB so I would suggest one of the "big three":

1. Moisture content in the blank
2. Climate variation between locations
3. Pens were subjected to heat/sunlight
 
ed4copies said:
Wood is a natural product. After the pen is made, it will still expand and contract.

Brass (as in brass tubes) also expands when heated.

Customers have to be informed that extremes of temp or humidity can be detrimental to their pens!!

Of course, first YOU have to realize this is the case.

Where you from???

Ed
Click to expand...


It seems like every week we have this discussion. Ed summed it up perfectly. Once again wood is a living thing that needs to move. Welcome to the world of woodworking. People in the woodworking business have for many years dealing with wood movement. We think because we work wih such small pieces that the same properties in larger pieces do not exist in our little pen blanks. Sorry but they do.

One other way to check moisture content is to weigh it over a period of a week. If it doesn't lose weight it is dry. Putting in the microwave and doing a cylce thing can insure that bt again it will not prevent cracking. Good luck.
 
jttheclockman said:
ed4copies said:
Wood is a natural product. After the pen is made, it will still expand and contract.

Brass (as in brass tubes) also expands when heated.

Customers have to be informed that extremes of temp or humidity can be detrimental to their pens!!

Of course, first YOU have to realize this is the case.

Where you from???

Ed
Click to expand...


It seems like every week we have this discussion. Ed summed it up perfectly. Once again wood is a living thing that needs to move. Welcome to the world of woodworking. People in the woodworking business have for many years dealing with wood movement. We think because we work wih such small pieces that the same properties in larger pieces do not exist in our little pen blanks. Sorry but they do.

One other way to check moisture content is to weigh it over a period of a week. If it doesn't lose weight it is dry. Putting in the microwave and doing a cylce thing can insure that bt again it will not prevent cracking. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Hey JT!!

This kind of scares me. I would be surprised if the average house has a scale that would measure accurately enough to detect a week of change:confused::confused::confused:.

The blank weighs in at under 2 ounces, so even if it loses 5% in a week, that's only 1/10 ounce--

I've never tried it, so I certainly am not arguing---just cautioning.

Ed
 
I do it all the time ED. I use the same scale I use to measure my casting material.
All you are looking for is any movement in weight. As an experiment try it.:smile: I know you have to have a small scale for casting. I buy turning blocks that come covered in wax so I know right away they have moisture trapped. I cut my blank or blanks and weigh it and watch for a period of at least a week. Then I do the microvave cycle thing. I have to make it known I am not cutting 5" blocks of wood by 3/4".

ed4copies said:
jttheclockman said:
ed4copies said:
Wood is a natural product. After the pen is made, it will still expand and contract.

Brass (as in brass tubes) also expands when heated.

Customers have to be informed that extremes of temp or humidity can be detrimental to their pens!!

Of course, first YOU have to realize this is the case.

Where you from???

Ed
Click to expand...




It seems like every week we have this discussion. Ed summed it up perfectly. Once again wood is a living thing that needs to move. Welcome to the world of woodworking. People in the woodworking business have for many years dealing with wood movement. We think because we work wih such small pieces that the same properties in larger pieces do not exist in our little pen blanks. Sorry but they do.

One other way to check moisture content is to weigh it over a period of a week. If it doesn't lose weight it is dry. Putting in the microwave and doing a cylce thing can insure that bt again it will not prevent cracking. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Hey JT!!

This kind of scares me. I would be surprised if the average house has a scale that would measure accurately enough to detect a week of change:confused::confused::confused:.

The blank weighs in at under 2 ounces, so even if it loses 5% in a week, that's only 1/10 ounce--

I've never tried it, so I certainly am not arguing---just cautioning.

Ed
Click to expand...
 
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Honduran Rosewood Burl........makes beautiful looking pens if it's really figured.


Edit....... I didn't see that there was a page 2....been a looong day!



Steve
 
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I'm here in Connecticut, I've made pens with HRB and never had this happen.
I have a heat box, i will be drilling the next blanks and leave them at 140* for couple days. or maybe bake it in low for few hours. takes?
 
Pen&FishingCT said:
I'm here in Connecticut, I've made pens with HRB and never had this happen.
I have a heat box, i will be drilling the next blanks and leave them at 140* for couple days. or maybe bake it in low for few hours. takes?
Click to expand...


If you are predrilling be prepared for warpage and the tube not fitting in.
 
My scale for casting will measure in ounces. So you should be able to see a change in weight based on a 3% drop in moisture. Like Ed, I've never tried this either. I have used the microwave approach, and it seems to work well. But I've never tried it on HRB.

Sometimes I think the best thing is just to put new pieces away for awhile & just use your old stock.

EDIT: The model of my scale is a Salter Brecknell Model 311. I'm pretty sure I got it at office depot.
 
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Thank you guys,
I've pre drilled few blanks since i first posted this thread. just bought a scale so i will be weighting the blanks more often from now on.
Will be experimenting with this wood,since it's my favorite cuz of the amazing figures within the burl.
Thanks,
Dave
 
I just re-read my post above. I should have said "My scale reads in tenths of an ounce & grams". And since there are 2.3 grams per .1 ounce, you should be able to more easily see a change in weight when using grams.
 
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