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- Thread starter Kepis
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Nice, very nice, like above mine always split.
My last one was at the sanding stage & I noticed to small splits appear in the end of the cup as it dried they got bigger.
Every time I try same result, ah well there's always next time
Tree
My last one was at the sanding stage & I noticed to small splits appear in the end of the cup as it dried they got bigger.
Every time I try same result, ah well there's always next time
Tree
robin wood
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nice one Maver fast too.
Re avoiding splits here are my tips
1 always work from a halved log as Maver did, if you have the central rings in your finished work it will split however carefully you dry it.
2 it's best if your log is big enough to cut away maybe another 1cm of wood from the inner flat surface before you start any carving. This gets rid of the few central growth rings where there is most stress and most splits start.
3 carve as quickly as possible to the roughly finished shape if you have to leave it during this process keep it in a plastic bag.
4 try to get it quite thin, I reckon about the thickness of a pound coin or perhaps at most twice that but if you leave it very thick it's more likely to split.
Re avoiding splits here are my tips
1 always work from a halved log as Maver did, if you have the central rings in your finished work it will split however carefully you dry it.
2 it's best if your log is big enough to cut away maybe another 1cm of wood from the inner flat surface before you start any carving. This gets rid of the few central growth rings where there is most stress and most splits start.
3 carve as quickly as possible to the roughly finished shape if you have to leave it during this process keep it in a plastic bag.
4 try to get it quite thin, I reckon about the thickness of a pound coin or perhaps at most twice that but if you leave it very thick it's more likely to split.
I've been wanting to try one for a while but haven't got round to it yet. How are you drying yours, Ed and Tree? I've made a wooden drinking cup and had no problems with that splitting, I wrapped it in newspaper tightly and dried it in my cupboard.
Thanks for the comments.
Hope mine doesn't split, fingers crossed , hopefully it wont as it was carved from a well seasoned piece of timber, just got a few bits of tidying up to do on it, ie a few lumps and bumps in the bowl i want to get rid of, i might redefine the handle a little as well, as im not completely happy with it.
onwards and upwards
Hope mine doesn't split, fingers crossed
, hopefully it wont as it was carved from a well seasoned piece of timber, just got a few bits of tidying up to do on it, ie a few lumps and bumps in the bowl i want to get rid of, i might redefine the handle a little as well, as im not completely happy with it.onwards and upwards
One technique I've had recommended to me to stop cracking is to boil the cup in salt water.
Carve the basic design, but don't do any of the final finishing work while the wood is green. Then gently simmer/boil the kuksa in salt solution for about 15 mins. This drives the salt water into the grain, and as a result the salt will 'hang on' to the water, taking 2-3 times longer to dry out and season. This delay reduces the risk of it splitting or cracking by drying too quickly.
Once dry and seasoned, do the finishing carving/sanding etc.
Not tried it myself, but I can see it would work!
there's an old thread here:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=300
Which covers pretty much everything about kuksa making
EDIT: Forgot to say, thats a lovely looking kuksa you've got there!
Carve the basic design, but don't do any of the final finishing work while the wood is green. Then gently simmer/boil the kuksa in salt solution for about 15 mins. This drives the salt water into the grain, and as a result the salt will 'hang on' to the water, taking 2-3 times longer to dry out and season. This delay reduces the risk of it splitting or cracking by drying too quickly.
Once dry and seasoned, do the finishing carving/sanding etc.
Not tried it myself, but I can see it would work!
there's an old thread here:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=300
Which covers pretty much everything about kuksa making
EDIT: Forgot to say, thats a lovely looking kuksa you've got there!
