One of the cool things about working wood is discovering what's inside a tree. When we "open" a log, we're opening a book of a long life's story; good years and bad, injuries and illnesses, all are revealed in the grain and color we find.
We celebrate finding buried treasure, but also take the risk of getting nothing for our efforts.
As I have a preference for "character wood", I don't shy away from cracks, knots and other irregularities. But sometimes those just don't present an opportunity.
Case in Point:
One knot can provide interesting graphic, but not these two. Fortunately, I don't have to relegate this to the fireplace as the top half may render a nice little box.
Unlikely
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Re: Unlikely
#2
Great message, Mark. I find that woodturners tend to get caught up in the idea that if the wood chunk is H x T x D, they need to make an H x T x D item. Not so. 24 years ago, right after I bought my Stubby lathe, John Jordan was in San Diego for a club demo. I was his chauffer. He wanted some carob wood and I connected him with a local urban forester who had some. John bought a 10" thick x 30" x 30" chunk, then proceeded to cut the middle 1/3rd out so that he could get three side grain hollow form blanks with roughly symmetrical grain patterns. He gave the rest to me (which I still have a couple bits left).
Moral of the story - you as the woodturner control what you get out of the wood - not the wood.
Re: Unlikely
#3You're right, Joe. Turners, especially new turners, always seem to be in the bigger is better camp.
I try to avoid drying cracks though, I consider them a flaw and, depending on the workpiece, a potential source of injury caused by it coming apart.