Finish or Firewood – Finalized

[Steve Schlumpf]

A couple of weeks ago I asked for suggestions about this cracked birch bowl and whether or not I should try and save it or save myself the trouble and use for firewood. For a reference the original post is: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=49353

I used John Hart’s suggestion of 200 grit sandpaper and shellac (in my case Watco) and I bet I filled at least 2 dozen cracks in that bowl over the next week. Finally got to the point that I could finish it (meaning I got tired of sanding). Buffed it out today and found 3 more hairline cracks in a different area on the inside of the bowl! It may last … it may not.
CBB Profile.jpg CBB Top.jpg CBB Bottom.jpg
Birch Bowl 9 ¾” x 3” x ½” Two coats of Watco Natural and 5 coats of Minwax wipe on Poly.

Wanted to post and let everyone see the final product. Oh, bowl is not oval – just a fisheye effect from my camera when shooting macro. Hopefully I’ll figure out how to correct that one of these days.

As always, your comments/suggestions are welcome.

Thanks for looking.

[Clancy Courtney]

Steve, It looks great to me.
Good work on the save.
Clancy

[Jonathon Spafford]

Looks super... nice save. I really like the grain pattern on the bottom. You did an excellent job!!!

[Dario Octaviano]

Great save! Looks very nice.

[Fred Ritter]

That looks great Steve. I've got a hollow form with similar cracks that I had almost given up on. If it comes out half as nice as that it's definitely worth finishing.

[Mark Pruitt]

Great save! Even if the hairline crack proves fatal, there was a valiant effort made to save it and it makes for a good story and undoubtedly a few good lessons as well. I would take lots of pictures just for archives if it were mine.

Also, you've got this finishing thing nailed big time.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great save Steve. You did a nice job on it.

[Keith Burns]

Well worth the effort Steve. Great bowl

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Steve....cracks or no cracks.....That is a beautiful piece! Well done Sir!

[Jason Slutsky]

Steve,

First...I think it looks great. I'd be happy to have produced it.

Now for my questions...What do you think caused the cracking? Was it green when you turned it? If so how did you dry it? Any insight into this would be great.

Thanks,
Jason

[George Tokarev]

Wanted to post and let everyone see the final product. Oh, bowl is not oval – just a fisheye effect from my camera when shooting macro. Hopefully I’ll figure out how to correct that one of these days.

As always, your comments/suggestions are welcome.

Unless you're shooting with a camera that forces you wide for macro work, add a bit of focal length to flatten the field. My Canon wants wide for "super macro," which is about the only thing I dislike about him over the Olympus he replaced.

You spent a lot of time on it. Looks pretty, too. I'd probably have pitched it and moved on.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Now for my questions...What do you think caused the cracking? Was it green when you turned it? If so how did you dry it? Any insight into this would be great.

Jason, this was so green when I turned it that I had splatter on the wall in back of the lathe (stain is still there). It was turned down to about 1", covered in wet shavings and placed in double brown bags and placed on a shelf to dry. When opened over a year later I found radial cracks in the heartwood. Everything I have read about radial cracks told me to pitch it and move on. Thought I would ask everyone here for advice and see if there where any ideas about repair. I didn't think the bowl would survive but if I could learn something in the process then the time would be worth it.

Have to agree with George that it is a pretty bowl and also that I did learn a lesson about radial cracks - in the amount of time it took to repair this one bowl I could have finished 10.

[Paul Engle]

Steve, I got a ton ( literally)of birch this fall it had already been cut and lots of internal checking but I turned it anyway and just love it. I filled the cracks with CA / or coffee ,or black sand from the Snake River in southern Idaho, and it looks great so does your piece. I sometimes think this marginal stuff maybe be the piece that someone will want a whole series of items, boy ,the Scottish in me hates to throw anything out > nothing is entirely useless...it can alway be used as a bad example < some famous Highlander...

[Tom Sherman]

Might have been a lot of work to get it to this point but it sure looks great.

[Vince Welch]

Hi Steve,

The bowl has a nice color and seems to be centered up nicely. NO side photo so I cannot see the line from the top of the bowl to the bottom but that is o.k.. You have a glossy finish and it sounds like that is what you were wanting. I would call it a success! Congrads!

Vince