Japanese Pear

[Craneman54]

I have what I believe to be some Japanese Pear wood.I can't seem to stop it from splitting and cracking while I turn it.I tried soaking in water, didn't help.Then I tried boiling it, then drying it at 200 degrees in the oven that was worse.This wood is still green and just cracks worse the more you work it.Even when I go slow and take light passes to minimize heat. Microwaveing it does'nt work either.

Right now I am waiting on some CA glue and will try that.

Can anyone come up with a way to stop the splitting and cracking.

This wood looks more like marble than wood when it is turned.Wild and beautiful figure.I hate not being able to get it to stop the cracking and splitting.

Thanks in advance.

 

[hockenbery]

Many of the fruit woods move a lot.

Your wood may already be cracked and the existing cracks are just opening up as you turn it.

Keeping the wood wet during the turning process should let you to finish the turning without cracking.

I keep wood from drying while it is on the lathe by spraying/misting the surface with water. I use a plastic bottle with a squeese sprayer. If I have to stop turning for even a few minutes I wet the surface and cover the turning with a plastic bag.

When you are finished the turning, you have to control and slow down the drying once it is off the lathe.
Most important here is to have an even wall thickness or the thin sections will dry faster and move before the thicker sections can move.
Thin walls may give you better results. Since it allows the wood to move.

Putting the turning in a paper bag works in the humid regions like Maryland and louisiana.
Turners in humid areas usually have fewer cracking problems than folks in more arid regions.

-Al

 

[dkulze]

Did you mill out the pith? Does it have branch piths in it? That and, when you boil it, don't put it in the oven. This will make it dry WAAAAAYYY to quick. In a couple of layers of paper bags and with anchor seal on the end grain to slow it down would be more like it. I've actually considered using a pressure cooker for some pieces to see if that will work even better than boiling.

Good luck,
dietrich

 

[Craneman54]

Thanks for the info guys.

hockenbery: I'll try your method of useing the spray bottle.That just might help.What do you meanhumid in lousyanna.The humidity has been under 95% the last few days.

dkulze: I got the idea for oven drying from another site,Thought I'd give it a try.Oh well live and learn.

I was hopeing to find a way that I could turn and finish some of this wood in 1 day.Don't look like that is going to happen.

Here is a link to the site I got my info on boiling and oven drying.

http://www.woodturningplus.com/drying_green.htm

Another question if you don't mind.

How can I keep the color from fading in this wood.All the red areas in the wood are fading to a brownish color after just a few weeks.It still looks ok but the redish color makes it look great

Again thanks for the help.

 

[Wally Dickerman]

When boiling wood to stabilize it, it must be boiled for at least 2 hours, and it's very important to not remove the wood until the water cools. If it's removed too soon the heat inside the wood will crack it.

When you're 83, it's nice to be called a junior member instead of a senior citizen.

Wally

 

[Steve Worcester]

When boiling wood to stabilize it, it must be boiled for at least 2 hours, and it's very important to not remove the wood until the water cools. If it's removed too soon the heat inside the wood will crack it.

Wally

I would recommend the same, then air dry. Patience is a necessity.

Try this article on boiling from Stephen D Russell.

http://www.dallaswoodturners.com/NEWSLETTERS/2003/DAWNLApril2003.pdf

 

[Craneman54]

OK I can see where I went wrong on several issues.I will try the method in the article.

Looks like my crawfish boiler is going to get a good workout.

Thanks for the help Gentlemen.

 

[Whit]

From all I've heard, read and experienced your red is doomed. Exposure to air and more importantly UV rays are going to fade and/or change the colors. By using a finish with UV protection (spar varnish, for example) you can slow things down some, but that's about it.

Whit

 

[Craneman54]

From all I've heard, read and experienced your red is doomed

Man that is what I was afraid of.Like I said,the wood still looks ok ,but it sure would look better if the red was permanent.

 

[pssmith]

O.K...here's a dumb question - Can you add a dye of sort while boiling it to at least accentuate the grain patterns that may be lost when the red color turns brownish? Not neccesarily to save the natural red color, but to maybe add a little something the browner results...

 

[dkulze]

Give it several soakings of eurythane oil (that air seals it) and then a coat of spar varnish or UV resistant eurythane for the final coat the buff and wax. Out of direct sunlight, it will keep the red for months to years (but it is a PITA of a process). Same problem happens with cherry and cedar.

Dietrich

 

[Craneman54]

Pat,That is something I've been kicking around in my head.I may try that on a few of the peices and see what happens.