It really hurts me when I rough turn a beautiful cherry block and find ant the end some hairline cracks. After all the careful hollowing, I find these lines. I know they will show up more after the drying process. I just wanted to vent.
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hairline cracks in cherry
- Thread starter Gary Chapman
- Start date
- Joined
- May 16, 2005
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Yo need to be a bit more specific, Gary. Cherry is well known for heart checks, but they're generally pretty obvious when you inspect your fresh cut log end to determine where to make the halving cuts. What may also be present are end checks from drying the log. They don't originate in the center, but appear wherever there was a weak spot when the wood dried below the fiber saturation point. If the fresh end doesn't show visible moisture, you'd be well advised to wet it, and look for places where the water wicks in. Taking another thin slice (or more) until you get a clean wet end will avoid surprises.
A third type of check is the radial check, caused when the sapwood dries below that FSP and tries to contract. They can close almost invisibly, as can end checks, and are discovered by the same process.
End and radial checks, viewed from the "old" end. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Cherry-Checks.jpg
Fresh end with no checks showing what happens when the top dries by gravity, and the bottom doesn't. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Gravity-2.jpg
Heart checks on the top right piece. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Wood-Storage.jpg
Radial check as seen from the side, rather than the end. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Cherry-Sapwood-Radial.jpg Seldom goes below the sapwood except on a barkless log.
Then there are heat checks caused by turning thin with lots of friction, or aggressive sanding. Don't think you're talking about them.
A third type of check is the radial check, caused when the sapwood dries below that FSP and tries to contract. They can close almost invisibly, as can end checks, and are discovered by the same process.
End and radial checks, viewed from the "old" end. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Cherry-Checks.jpg
Fresh end with no checks showing what happens when the top dries by gravity, and the bottom doesn't. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Gravity-2.jpg
Heart checks on the top right piece. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Wood-Storage.jpg
Radial check as seen from the side, rather than the end. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Cherry-Sapwood-Radial.jpg Seldom goes below the sapwood except on a barkless log.
Then there are heat checks caused by turning thin with lots of friction, or aggressive sanding. Don't think you're talking about them.