To Cracked to Turn ?

[MidwestMan]

This beautiful piece of "Flowering Crab" has some cracks. I haven't been turning all that long, so... I really don't know... should I forget about this hunk of wood or continue on?  I really like this wood... but it cracks/checks just by looking at it. (the wood is only half dried. It doesn't spit anything... but it definantely is not dried)

[crokett™]

I'd be much more worried about the crack on the left than the checks across the bottom. If you really want to turn it, I would let it sit and do all the checking that it's going to do. Then fill the cracks with a mixture of epoxy and ground coffee. You'll need a scraper of some sort to force the epoxy into the cracks, and you'll likely have to repeat the process as you turn the piece.

[MidwestMan]

I'd be much more worried about the crack on the left than the checks across the bottom.  If you really want to turn it, I would let it sit and do all the checking that it's going to do.  Then fill the cracks with a mixture of epoxy and ground coffee.  You'll need a scraper of some sort to force the epoxy into the cracks, and you'll likely have to repeat the process as you turn the piece.

Thanks for your input. I'll lay it aside a week or so and then try your suggestion.

[MidwestMan]

Strange thing is, when I mounted the blank, there were no cracks or checks, that I noticed.

[MichaelMouse]

Thanks for your input. I'll lay it aside a week or so and then try your suggestion.

Lay it aside in the stove.  It's really nothing special, based on your photo, but there's a lot of fussing and danger in trying to turn it.  If it were a burl or something, might be worth the effort and risk.

[Woodshop]

This beautiful piece of "Flowering Crab" has some cracks.

picture sure looks like walnut to me.
don't think I ever had any flowering crab.

[Arlin Eastman]

This beautiful piece of "Flowering Crab" has some cracks. I haven't been turning all that long, so... I really don't know... should I forget about this hunk of wood or continue on?  I really like this wood... but it cracks/checks just by looking at it. (the wood is only half dried. It doesn't spit anything... but it definantely is not dried)

To me all cracks like that are a concern.  If I want to keep it I will grind it out and add metal or other inlay and then finish it, but keep an eye on it the whole time.

[Arlin Eastman]

picture sure looks like walnut to me.
don't think I ever had any flowering crab.

Don

I think the wood is Flowering Crabapple and we have a few trees of that and flowering Cherry also which is an ornamental tree.

[crokett™]

I somewhat agree with MM that life's too short to turn cracked wood. -However- if the only flaw in that was the one on the left, I'd clean it out as much as a I could then figure out a way to color some casting resin and pour that in. Given the other cracks I want to revise my earlier statement and I think I'd toss it. If I were going to try and turn it, I would wrap several wraps of plastic wrap around it to try and keep it together.

[Wipedout]

My concern is the one on the left looks like a bark exclusion. If so I’ve had those separate and come flying off