Splitting

[Ade1973]

Got given a piece of tree from a neighbour, not sure what it was but was recently blown off the tree. Carved this spoon but noticed it’s started to split. Wondering if I’ve done something wrong or something I should avoid in the future. Any advice welcome

https://flic.kr/p/2qEXU1a

https://flic.kr/p/2qEZ382

https://flic.kr/p/2qEZ382

https://flic.kr/p/2qF13ze

https://flic.kr/p/2qF13ze

https://flic.kr/p/2qETjBq

https://flic.kr/p/2qETjBq

https://flic.kr/p/2qETjBq

https://flic.kr/p/2qETjBq
https://flic.kr/p/2qF13ze

https://flic.kr/p/2qF13ze

https://flic.kr/p/2qF13ze

https://flic.kr/p/2qF13ze

https://flic.kr/p/2qF13ze

 

[Elsenham 177]

Great piece, I like the handle

 

[Pattree]

If it was blown down by the wind it might be star-cracked. The radial cracks can usually be seen but there will almost always be finer ones and stress lines that aren’t even cracks yet radiating for the centre. I have a piece of cherry and I’ve tried to split it radially and use pieces from between visible cracks but it still splits.

 

[Ade1973]

If it was blown down by the wind it might be star-cracked. The radial cracks can usually be seen but there will almost always be finer ones and stress lines that aren’t even cracks yet radiating for the centre. I have a piece of cherry and I’ve tried to split it radially and use pieces from between visible cracks but it still splits.

That sounds like what could have happened. I definitely didn’t see any cracks but if they’ve been fine I must have missed them. The crack seems to be getting bigger by the day

 

[C_Claycomb]

A less deep spoon might also have helped. It looks like the top of the bowl was nearer the outside of the tree. The crack happens when the wood dries and shrinks with the rings (rings get shorter, if the outer rings are getting shorter faster than inner rings, a crack happens, and grows). More surface area and less volume will tend to dry and shrink faster.

I think most people make spoons to an idea that a spoon is a scoop on a handle. If you look at most modern metal spoons, they are a lot less deep than one might think. Even big kitchen serving spoons aren't all that deep. With the big spoons I have made, I have rough cut them, then done the thinning as they dried.

 

[Glow_worm]

In simplistic terms, a piece of wood containing the centre pith will almost always split.

Carve from wood in the round- splits on drying.

Split the piece of wood into two and carve that- much less chance of splitting.

 

[Ade1973]

A less deep spoon might also have helped. It looks like the top of the bowl was nearer the outside of the tree. The crack happens when the wood dries and shrinks with the rings (rings get shorter, if the outer rings are getting shorter faster than inner rings, a crack happens, and grows). More surface area and less volume will tend to dry and shrink faster.

I think most people make spoons to an idea that a spoon is a scoop on a handle. If you look at most modern metal spoons, they are a lot less deep than one might think. Even big kitchen serving spoons aren't all that deep. With the big spoons I have made, I have rough cut them, then done the thinning as they dried.

Great advice. I do tend to get carried away when I do the bowls. Thank you

 

[Ade1973]

In simplistic terms, a piece of wood containing the centre pith will almost always split.

Carve from wood in the round- splits on drying.

Split the piece of wood into two and carve that- much less chance of splitting.

Good advice, thank you.

 

[John Fenna]

When carving a spoon I "mouth test" the bowl - if my upper lip does not wipe the bottom of the bowl the spoon is too deep - unless it is meant to be a serving spoon or ladle, in which case they are allowed to be deeper

 

[Kadushu]

Oiling it liberally will help a lot. As others have said, the centre of the log is particularly prone to splitting, as is the bowl due to its thinness and large area of end grain which dries out quickly. Next time try applying some boiled linseed oil and you'll see it soaks into the end grain very quickly. You can keep feeding in oil to replace the moisture which has left during carving and slow further drying.

 

[Stew]

You need to slow the drying process down. Stick it in a bag with wood shavings that you’ve carved off. Don’t bring it somewhere hot too soon. I can’t give you a definite length of drying time but that’ll be a big cause.