Blank Cracks

[Legato_J]

Ok, sort of embarrassed on this one. I turned this pen using olive wood I sourced from Trader Joe's (originally a cutting board). I turned the pen and damaged the coupler during assembly so the pen didn't get delivered and PSI sent me a replacement (the instructions shipped were outdated and missed a key step). So, the pen has been sitting for the past several months and as I returned to the task of fixing it, I noticed that the upper barrel developed swelling and cracks. So, I'm not sure if the wood movement is due to how I finished the blank or it's my source . After applying a few layers of CA, I used micromesh pads, then buffed using Beall 3-wheel setup. What did I do wrong???

 

[Woodchipper]

Sitting a place of high humidity? My first guesstimate.

 

[JohnU]

I would say it's the nature of olive wood and nothing you did. I've had olive wood crack on me several times on other projects over time.

 

[bugradx2]

I have done a few pens from the same type of trader Joe board. I've wonder if it swelled a little along a burl line

 

[Todd in PA]

All the pens I've made from olivewood cutting boards have cracked. They come off the lathe fine, then you look at it two months later and they're cracked, just like you said.

I gave up on these as a source for pens. But every Christmas people are posting about them. So maybe someone else is having better success.

 

[Gary Beasley]

I suspect the wood is far from dry. Try cutting a bit oversize and heating them on low heat for several hours. Eventually the moisture content will bottom out.

 

[Mike]

This is good to know. I cut a bunch of blanks from an olive wood cutting board and have not used them yet. Living here in ABQ NM, wood does not usually swell and crack if it is already dry. (unless your house is cooled by a swamp cooler) I have had wet wood shrink and split.
I will be sure to dry the cutting board wood before turning.
Mike

 

[GaryMGg]

Let's say the cutting board is 1-1/2" thick.
You rip off a strip, rotate it and rip near 3/4".
Chop to length.
The side which was in the center almost certainly has a different moisture content than the exterior.
Over time, as the moisture equalizes in a small, thin barrel, it's got to move.
The vertical change in wood movement is typical much smaller than the horizontal—the horizontal change can cause cracking.