HELP! Bowl is cracking.

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Rcd567

Rcd567

Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
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Location
Glenwood, Iowa, USA.
See the attached photos. I spent a couple hours today forming this piece of cocobolo. As I've gotten into the block I noticed a crack. The farther I go the worse the crack gets. This is supposedly going to be more of a dish than a bowl. It will sit on an integeral base. I bought this piece of wood about three years ago. It was supposedly dry at the time. I made it round, and it's been sitting since. I dug into it today. Is there anything I need to do? Will the crack get worse? Epoxy? Or just leave it be and finish it out and see what happens? Thanks for the help.

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I would inlay the crack with turquoise dust which is a good contrast to the color of the cocobola. It is cracking because, even though it was dry, when you turn it you are releasing the tension in the wood. There is tension in the wood from how it was growing and when that tension is released the wood can warp, crack, or have nothing occur. Looks like the wood grew in a twisted manner and now as the piece becomes thinner it is letting go and cracking.
 
It looks like you're turning an end grain bowl. If that's the case I have to say the crack will prob get worse as it dries:/ I've turned several end grain bowls and they all developed cracks. I would use ca glue in the crack now. Set the bowl aside for awhile and let it dry. The crack may get worse but you'll be able to fill it once it stops moving and then do a final turn to clean up any warping that develops.
 
Crack in bowl

This is a caution point -- that crack looks to extend all the way into the mounting on the scroll chuck, and it does not look like you are using a tenon in the jaws (compression),

Cracks like that can cause loose flying objects.

I tend towards using the thin epoxy (the slow setting kind that us used to stabilize rotten wood) and assure the base is in tension. They are amber in color but can be colored - and black always goes will with dark woods.

I would avoid CA glue and especially use of accelerator with CA glue -- why -- CA glue is brittle and more brittle (and weaker) when used with accelerator. And if I am not seeing it correctly - fine but be sure you are mounting the bottom in compression.
 
First of all put it aside for 6 months to see what else happens. CA glue will not fill that crack. Use epoxy and mix in some dust, or stone or filings from a key machine from a BigBox store. If its any consolation, I recently turned a piece of cocobolo that was cut 35 years ago and it still warped! Phil
 
SDB777 said:
I'm thinking a 'stitch' in the shape of a bowite, or better yet...a bunch of them.
Scott (cracks are character) B
Click to expand...

What Scott said but I would let it sit for a while too see how much more it cracks and combine the bowtie(s) with some contrasting filler.
Eugene
 
I also suggest setting the piece aside for a while to see what it will do. If you throw a hasty "fix" at it now, the results may well not be lasting. From the photos, it looks like multiple cracks. Give it some time. Go make a pen or two!
 
Thanks for all the replies.
Ken you partially correct. I'm not using tenon in the jaws, but so jar the crack stops about an inch short of the chuck. I'm going to let it sit for awhile and see what happens. I'm leaning towards epoxy and either just put it in or maybe add some color. Time will tell.

Since I'm self taught, I don't know what a bowtie is? Or how to go about installing one?
 
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