Nasty Surprise

[Roger Hirlinger]

I thought I had a pretty good form going on this Norfolk Island Pine vase, approx 8-1/2 x 9. I'd just gotten a good start on hollowing up under the shoulder when I had what I thought was a pretty significant catch. Turned out to be a piece of heavy guage steel wire embedd in the wood. Guess someone had used it as a guy and it had gotten completely enclosed in the wood. I tried to pull it out, but no joy. This is only the second time I've ever hit a metal object when turning. Is it worth buying a metal detector?

Vase wire2.jpgvase wire3.jpgVase wire1.jpg

[Roger Chandler]

I am surprised the form held together when you hit that wire! Glad you are safe, and not injured! Very nice hollow form! This has a story and it should make it all the more valuable .......at least from a sentimental standpoint! Nice work Roger!

[Eric Gourieux]

Dang!. That could have been a disaster. That isn't blood in the bottom of the vase, is it?

[robert baccus]

Not a detector but a cutting torch would be nice. My specialty is barbed wire and hardened screws. I have cut several in two and hidden the joint with double cuts or wire burns and then charge extra for the embellishment.

[Grant Wilkinson]

If I were you, I would get a detector. You were lucky this time. Next time, parts that can hurt you badly could be flying around; not to mention the damage to your gouges.

[Dennis Ford]

It has happened to me a couple of times on the lathe, more often with chainsaw or band-saw. Not sure that a detector would be worth the trouble or that trusting it to find everything would be good either.

[Roger Hirlinger]

Thanks for the comments. No, it's not blood in the bottom of the vase, just some Watco I splashed on the outside.
I like the idea of leaving the wire and charging more for the novelty/embelllishment. I'm just afraid someone will stick their finger in to see how smooth the inside is and then I will have blood on the bottom. I think this one will stay on the shelf at home.

[Harry Robinette]

Most detectors I have found only go 1 1/2 to 3" into the wood and there EXPENSIVE $$$. Glad everythings ok.
I hit a 4"l by 1/4" dia screw hook with my McNaughton corer.Now that's a fun one, no one want to do.

[Peter Blair]

I use one before I chain saw and band saw. Lost a blade from each before I started but haven't even found a nail since I started using it. . . . .

[Jim Underwood]

I ran into a nail this weekend while turning the bottom side of an ogee bowl. Luckily I was able to part down on each side of it with a Bedan tool til the grooves were deep enough to pull the nail out. Didn't lose any depth on the thing either. It was touch and go for a while though.