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Safety issue with wood?

John Torchick

John Torchick

Joined
Jan 24, 2010
Messages
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Location
Cleveland, Tennessee
I'm still a novice or beginner with wood turning. I have built a bunch of pens but looking to take my skills up a notch. Our AAW chapter has a "Bring Back Box" which is given to a member by drawing their name. I got it. The box is about 6x6x6. We are to turn something that fits in the box and can have something from the demo. I got a piece balanced by trimming it on the bandsaw. Mounted it and started turning. My first time turning something like a "log." The grain is beautiful, seems to be spalted. However, there is a crack that runs about 2/3 the way of the piece. Fill it with lots of CA glue? Keep turning and eliminate the part that is past the crack? Don't want to have it fly off the lathe. That might ruin my whole day. Posting photos for you- shows crack and grain. Not sure what species it is. Thanks for reading and your help.20190208_141808.jpg 20190208_141814.jpg
 
Last edited:
Tried to delete it but couldn't figure how to do it. My bad.
Edit- Deleted the one link. Maybe that will do the job.
BTW, got some nice pen blanks out of the piece. Put another piece on the lathe and will be posting a photo and a question on it tomorrow.
 
Apparently I missed the duplicate.

The pictures are a little confusing about the grain orientation with respect to how you have it mounted, but it is very clear that it is a crappy piece of wood that shouldn't be turned. Life is short enough -- don't make it shorter by turning crappy wood.
 
Grain is perpendicular to the bed. Headstock and tailstock are in the bark. Will try turning a piece before committing to a pen tube so I don't waste a tube.
 
Bill, already made into pen blanks. Cute comment but don't quit your day job. :) Got a piece of what I think is dogwood. Can tell by its bark. Just need to figure out what to do next.
 
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