pith

[Max Taylor]

Does anyone here rough-turn an end-grain bowl, platter, then drill out the pith and glue in a dowell of same or contrasting wood to eliminate the problems associated with leaving the pith in the piece?

 

[georgetroy]

I leave the pith in and super glue. I think if you plug, it should be the same wood as what you turn. GT

 

[Bill Boehme]

An end grain vase would look very good, an end grain bowl maybe depending on the wood and shape of the bowl, an end grain plate -- I don't think so -- it probably would not look good and it would also probably be liable to break or split.

Bill

 

[MichaelMouse]

An end grain vase would look very good, an end grain bowl maybe depending on the wood and shape of the bowl, an end grain plate -- I don't think so -- it probably would not look good and it would also probably be liable to break or split.

Ugly is as ugly does. I take advantage of the compression caused by radial shrink by dishing out the front and rear a bit near the pith. Cracks less. Also a good idea not to leave the thing sitting on its base, where the top dries and the bottom's wet. Set it on skids.

This is dished in no more than an inch or so. One of about ten I took from a birch log I rolled for two summers to get even spalting.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Pithy

Does anyone here rough-turn an end-grain bowl, platter, then drill out the pith and glue in a dowell of same or contrasting wood to eliminate the problems associated with leaving the pith in the piece?

I've done several endgrain pieces, and, following Jordan's example, drilled out the *&$#@! piths. Then let the piece dry to shrink into the hole. The bowl warped a bit and the whole got a little smaller but didn't crack. When dry, I redrilled the hole and glued in a dried dowel made from the same wood with the pith included. Lastly finish-turned the piece. All-in-all worked well with Sassafras and maple, but you can see the circle. I still do this for endgrain jars, but don't do endgrain bowls anymore.

M

 

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use 5 minute epoxy mixed up and then mixed with denatured alcohol to the consistancey of milk. Paint it on till the pith wood won't take anymore and let it dry. Seems to work fine with no cracks. I am experimenting with a couple of bowls with flakey knots in them with this mix. Will see how they turn out.

Bernie

 

[Vernon Oberle]

Hardening the pith

Seems that I remember a product for hardening rotten wood on the your house. I used it once on a window sill in a rental unit and it worked great. It was really nothing more than realllllly thin epoxy. I've seen it in the box stores and it should work great for hermetically sealing the pith as it penetrates really well.

Vernon

 

[pencheff]

I use 5 minute epoxy mixed up and then mixed with denatured alcohol to the consistancey of milk. Paint it on till the pith wood won't take anymore and let it dry. Seems to work fine with no cracks

What kind of finish do you apply after the epoxy? Does the epoxy reinforced spot blend in?

 

[Bernie Weishapl]

What kind of finish do you apply after the epoxy? Does the epoxy reinforced spot blend in?

Most of the things I have made I have used Mylands Friction Polish or Behlens Salad Bowl finish on them. I am still experimenting with this. Yes it does blend well with the above so far. The next time I do this I am going to see how BLO or Danish Oil works where the epoxy and see how it reacts or does. I have never had one with the pith in it even think of cracking so far.

 

[MichaelMouse]

I think you'll find that surface finishes "blend" with the epoxy impregnating the wood, or adhere to it if you give the affected areas a bit of "tooth" to allow mechanical bonding. BLO or tung is not going to lay on the surface as a full film without some help from hardeners in the form of resins.

If I have impermeable fills or reinforcements, I limit myself to finishes which will form a film.