[fboyles]

Getting red with Osage Orange

I picked up this beautiful piece of osage and after I turned off the bark I saw that their was several cracks in it :furious:. As you can see by the pile of shavings my only thought is to keep turning till I get through all the cracks. Or is there something that I should be doing?

 

[jdaschel]

It is dry? If it is. Fill those cracks with CA and sawdust.

 

[ghost5]

I fill with CA as I go even on wet wood. If it is too wet the CA may turn white but as I turn down it is fine. I have been doing it all week turning bowls.

 

[EastexToolJunky]

It's hard to find Osage without cracks. It's usually very stable. Fill em with glue and keep going.

 

[fboyles]

Thanks guys! I had to CA a very wormy bowl in the past but I just didn't think to do the same with cracks. I'll post this afternoon with the results of the CA and sawdust filling.

 

[cuerodoc]

I've turned some also, and yes so far hard to find without cracks. If they're small, I just use CA and turn on. Sure makes pretty turnings and sand fairly well.
Dave H

 

[john lucas]

Well I've done both. You may find that if you turn past the cracks you will drastically have to change the shape. They go much deeper than you think. One of my best bowls ever was a 16" Osage. Once I turned past all the cracks it was sort of trumpet bell shaped. I turned it with a 3" bottom and flared out like a trumpet bell to the 16" lip. It really shows off the inside this way but was a shape I had never done before.
Filling them is the only way if you want a traditional bowl shape. the other option which I have also done is to simply take it to the bandsaw and cut it through the check and turn much smaller pieces out of both halves.

 

[fboyles]

I was also thinking about routing flutes where the cracks are. But to do that I would need to build a indexing and fluting jig. It would be nice to find a design that I could put on my Jet 1014 or my Rikon 1216.

 

[Travico]

On big cracks, I usually mix sawdust with EPOXY.

 

[john lucas]

I have taught indexing using a Jet mini. Somewhere I have plans to make an indexing wheel for the Jet although you can buy one from www.ironfireLLC.com It's fairly easy to build a support for a router to fit on the lathe.

 

[fboyles]

I have taught indexing using a Jet mini. Somewhere I have plans to make an indexing wheel for the Jet although you can buy one from www.ironfireLLC.com It's fairly easy to build a support for a router to fit on the lathe.

Thanks for the link to ironfire. I see that they sell the indexing disks but what are you to use for the pin?

 

[duncsuss]

A more expensive indexing wheel -- but it comes with a pin mechanism. (I believe he makes several varieties to suit different lathes.)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JET-mini-la...189?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e2d93c85

 

[refueler1]

Honestly, I would trash the wood. Any CA or epoxy is going to stain the crack areas and when you apply another finish it will show through. On the safety side of it you don't know how deep the cracks are and you will find out when the blank decides to come apart as it is spinning. If the cracks where tiny I would probably CA them but they look to deep for my liking. Good luck and stay out of the line of fire when your cutting.

Jack