Do you normally have a hard time finishing? First one with this wood?
Are there any flaws in the wood besides the crack in the middle? I can't see any easily.
For something like an imperial, if you aren't 100% happy, don't assemble it.
Actually the crack isn't the issue..it's the crappy fill at the base of the upper tube..can't hide because of the grain and the match-up of the upper and lower..like I said, sorry about the pics.and the finish issue was I probably went too fast and overheated the blank..ca does not like heat..and i'm slightly rushy...but at the same time Dan..I'm not happy and you're correct..but what do all the perfectionists here do with errors they know no one but us will see?? I'm a newbie at higher end components and can't picture selling anything that wouldn't make me happy..trying to decide which would be better..Jim Beam or Tequila??
Well, this is the time when one of my "thoughts" and suggestions in regardless to these issues, is most applicable and that is, "despite the beauty and uniqueness of a pen blank, in the end of the day, is just that, a wood pen blank, not the end of the world, and certainly not a reason to over stress about it...!"
This is coming from the person that that cuts the trees, digs the roots out and go to absolutely crazy extents to bring the wood home and process it for me and everyone else to enjoy, yes, it is a beautiful piece of Olive wood and while it may have cost you $4.00 or so, by the time it travelled half way around the world to get to you, it still a pen blank and one that can be replaced quite easily, even though no two pieces of wood are ever the same...!
I can see the problem area, apart from the 2 stress cracks in the wood, those are a devil in such a beautiful piece of wood however, if there is a wood species where cracks are accepted as natural features, Olive wood is one of a few, in fact, Olive wood without cracks is not Olive wood as a general term, stress crack (not other cracks) free pieces are very possible however, its also well known and true that, most of the best grain, figure and colourations are found around these natural flaws so, in many cases, a necessary Devil...!
Yes, there are ways to "fix" your problem and that blank, at this moment I would suggest that, you don't touch it and leave it for another day, hang those 2 barrels in a place where they can be seen, they are beautiful as is.
After you put them a side, grab another identical/same batch/pack blank and get 2 extra tubes and start all over again, as if nothing had ever happened to the other blank. If you don't have any left, you know where to get as many as you want, up to about 5,000 guaranteed, that's ready and in boxes and drying towers, there is about 0.5 tone sliced in slabs and drying slowly and about another 20 tone of logs and roots, waiting to be worked on so, if you think I may have some difficulty in getting you half a dozen of blanks like that, well think again...!:wink::biggrin:
I like to have my Olive wood and know that is not going to be used as Commercial rip-off's, I pay good money for it so that doesn't fall in the wrong hands, I will do it for as long as I can...!
In fact, and this is most interesting, I have an old friend (never met face to face) based in Brisbane (about 24 hours drive) that is flying over tomorrow morning for a weekend stay and see my wood stash, he loves Olive wood also and he wants to see the wood in person as he wants to buy some fair size blanks from bowl blanks to pen blanks and everything in between, he wants also to learn the CA finish and other stuff so, is going to be a fun weekend...!
He is not an IAP member, I will try to convince him to join in, and tell the "story" himself, will see...!:biggrin:
As for what I would do to fix those barrels, that's another story for another day...!
Good luck,
Cheers
George
