Well I had my 2nd explosion last night. Not really an explosion. I was hollowing out a segmented bowl last night and my bowl ripped from the waste block. It wasn't the screws or the glue or a catch it was the block. I have been using some alder that I had left over from a flat work project and this is the 2nd time this has happened with the alder. I think the problem is the alder but wanted to see if anyone had any input.
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Faceplate Wasteblock
- Thread starter jeffnreno
- Start date
Doesn't that drive you nuts when that happens? I've tried plywood, mdf, and pine glue blocks and had the same thing happen. I've never used alder, but my best luck has been with either poplar or hard maple where I've never had them split or break.
I usually use Poplar (cottonwood) or maple. The only seperation I had was one where I let the connection get too small. 
Steve Worcester
Admin Emeritus
I use 1 1/4 poplar screwed to a faceplate with large screws. I predrill the holes. That's real important as you will tend to crack the block otherwise. The crack will then go to a break when you least expect (as you have learned).
bob48188 said:
No plywood. You never know when the laminates fall apart in plywood.
Gordon
I would reiterate what Steve said above, always predrill the holes. I'm not that familiar with Alder but many woods will crack and split if you don't pre-drill.
The wood itself may have some internal cracks due to the felling of the tree or wind shakes. Not much you can do about that other than check it carefully before using, but sometimes wind shakes will be hard to detect.
The wood itself may have some internal cracks due to the felling of the tree or wind shakes. Not much you can do about that other than check it carefully before using, but sometimes wind shakes will be hard to detect.
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tdrice said:I usually use Poplar (cottonwood) or maple. The only seperation I had was one where I let the connection get too small.
That's the one. Note that "poplar" as sold is not poplar. Poplar, as in members of the Populus genus were traditionally used as cart and stoneboat bottoms because they might dent, but not split. Cottonwood's in the family, if not the genus. Also great for the sauna seats, because those Finnish butts don't like splinters.
Or perhaps you might use elm, which has pretty much the same thing going for it in the interlocked grain. I liked poplar.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I find the long screws help. I use mostly poplar and maple but the only failures I've had were directly along the grain lines. If I had used longer screw it would have prevented that. Of course you have to consider the project and whether or not you have to turn into the waste block to finish the project. This might eliminate long screws as a solution.
Ditto on Beware of Plywood
I, too, had problems with alder, pine, etc. so tried 3/4" marine plywood. It holds well but the layers of varous grain patterns, wood densities and glue result in major catches when cutting it off on the lathe. I've lost two large platters as a result. I'm having much better success with recessed dovetails instead of face plates (and by being a bit less aggressive!).
I, too, had problems with alder, pine, etc. so tried 3/4" marine plywood. It holds well but the layers of varous grain patterns, wood densities and glue result in major catches when cutting it off on the lathe. I've lost two large platters as a result. I'm having much better success with recessed dovetails instead of face plates (and by being a bit less aggressive!).