Half Price Sale

Vaughn McMillan

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Steve's post about rough-turning a bowl too thin prompted me to show you one of my latest. This is a shallow cherry bowl that I roughed too thin, so by the time I got it trued back up after drying, it was getting kind of thin. It developed a crack along the edge during the process; I should have been using my bowl steady because the vibrations did it in. Anyway, I decided to trim a couple inches off the edge to get rid of the crack. Obviously, it didn't go as planned:

Half Price 800.jpg

It's a shame, since this was a very pretty piece of cherry crotch wood. I'm thinking of displaying this one in my booth at the next show. Should be good as a conversation starter. :D
 
Nothing was said about a trip to the ER - so I assume you were able to stay out of the way! It's a shame when that happens - but it does. I posted about my 'D' save because I had just turned another maple - again roughed out to thin - and I ended up taking it off the lathe and throwing it out into the garage. No sense wasting time trying to turn something you know is going to blow up on you!

Glad you didn't get hurt! And I agree - this would make a great conversation starter if it was displayed in your booth!
 
No worries, I was well out of the line of fire since I knew pieces of the rim would eventually come off, and the speed wasn't real high. (Still woulda left a mark, though.) Didn't expect it to break in half, though.

Jonathan, I can see some merit in your argument. Perhaps I should say two for the price of one? :p
 
Very cute, Vaughn. :thumb:

Not only would it be a conversation starter but it would also show that there are utter failures along with the successful pieces too. It could make customers realize that a great turning is not all that easy to produce.
 
If you find a market let me know. I actually paid for this piece of walnut, although it was half off. Now I know why. Hairline crack I didn't see until I had turned off all the wax, and then didn't think it was all that bad. I didn't turn this one especially thin, but had used an expanding chuck to save some of the thickness of the wood by not making a tenon (very rarely use an expanding chuck). I guess this is how we learn. I feel your pain.
 

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Vaughn,

You could glue one side of the plate to the outside and one side to the inside of your shop door to remind visitors about shop safety. It will look like it went right through your door.
 
If you find a market let me know. I actually paid for this piece of walnut, although it was half off...
I can relate. I paid a premium price for this piece of cherry. In the grand scheme of things though, lots of worse things can happen. I wrote it off to education. ;)

Vaughn,

You could glue one side of the plate to the outside and one side to the inside of your shop door to remind visitors about shop safety. It will look like it went right through your door.
That's funny stuff. I like the idea. Not sure if LOML would buy off on it...the other side of the shop door is the laundry room. I could attach one half to the ceiling, though. :D
 
Sorry to see that Vaughn. Don't ya just hate when a piece of expensive wood goes to pot. I had a $60 piece of amboyna explode for no apparent reason. No catch, no nothing on my part. Bad words were said.:eek:
 
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