Fun with wood movement

[Kirk Amidon]

Turned a couple of goblets recently. This one I was reasonably happy with when I turned it on Sunday, but I had neglected to trim the first inch or so off the wood - had been cut for a week or so. Predictably, it started to crack a few times. About 4 hours after it was turned, and brought into my kitchen it looked like this:


Today, I happened by it, and the crack had mostly disappeared visually. Always funny how wooden things will change and move as they settle. Not sure I'd seen this trick yet, but now I have.



Tried to get a similar angle on the pictures. Crack is still there, but has gone from 3/32 wide to practically nothing.

 

[John Torchick]

Wood does strange things. BTW, is that a captive ring on the base? Nice goblet.

 

[Russell Nugent]

I have an ash spindle blank that I turned round. In the winter it has a 1 inch deep crack from end to end. In the summer I can't even find the crack.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

I have seen that phenomenon with turning blanks, too. Thing is it may be invisible, but wood isn't "healed". It's still dangerous to turn.

 

[Russell Nugent]

Yeah, I just keep it cause its interesting. Done the same thing for 3 years now.

 

[Donovan Bailey]

I have an ash spindle blank that I turned round. In the winter it has a 1 inch deep crack from end to end. In the summer I can't even find the crack.

I've seen this same thing in some of my ash turnings...straight grain. We probably should adopt a policy to just give these items away in the summer.