Home
Careers
Club Search
Message Board
Carver Galleries
Subscription Services
What a wonderful magazine, every issue is like Christmas!... Continue
To view the
Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board
CLICK HERE


Found th
e Fox?
Click here to enter the Fox Hunt contest!

Welcome to the Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board, an online wood carving forum community where you can join thousands of carvers from around the world discussing all things related to carving. To gain full access to the message board you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:
  • Browse over 90,000 posts.
  • Communicate privately with other carvers from around the world.
  • Post your own photos or view from 3,500 user submitted images.
  • Gain access to exclusive wood carving promotions offered by Wood Carving Illustrated and Fox Chapel Publishing.
All this and much more is available to you absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact the Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board's Support Team.

Go Back   Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board > Wood Carving > Carving Wood & Materials
Register

Carving Wood & Materials

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-27-2006, 12:11 AM
Mottles's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: High Desert, Arizona
Posts: 3,684
Default Wood In a Wet/Dry Environment

Hi All:
I have a friend who has a question that I thought you might be able to help him with. Here is his question:
What (none exotic, untreated) wood types are least likely to split due to wet/dry environmental factors? Currently, I have an Osage Orange hand carved spout to be used on a canteen gourd. Unfortunately, it is starting to crack. I had been thinking that this wood would be highly suitable as it seems fault tolerant and makes wonderful self-backed aboriginal bows. Perhaps nothing better exists?
Any thoughts or suggestions for Tom?
Kathy
__________________
My WCI Carver Gallery Images
http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.co...00/ppuser/3480
My WCI Scroller Gallery
http://www.scrollsawer.com/gallery/s...0/ppuser/12025
My Web Site
http://www.colorjourney.com
Prescott Wood Bee Carvers
http://www.colorjourney.com/id18.html
Measure Twice Cut Once
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-27-2006, 09:09 AM
AlArchie's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Bessemer, MI
Posts: 4,215
Default Re: Wood In a Wet/Dry Environment

You might try contacting Lehman's Hardware in Kidron, Ohio. They cater primarily to the Amish of the area, and have storage barells, kegs, etc. in their stock. Among those items are hardwood bungs and barell faucets. If you contact them, they may be ble to give you some info on the type of wood used for these items.

www.lehmans.com

Al
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-27-2006, 09:17 AM
whitecree's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: northwest BC
Posts: 1,146
Default Re: Wood In a Wet/Dry Environment

I thought pretty much any fruit wood was fairly stable? I had a large chunk of cherry that dried rock hard without a single crack.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-27-2006, 09:18 AM
Hi_Ho_Sliver's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: Arizona
Posts: 9,402
Default Re: Wood In a Wet/Dry Environment

I have some aspen sticks I brought with me from colorado....no cracks, the basswood doesn't have cracks, actually most of what I have sealed the ends with parafin hasn't cracked! some that had minor cracks were just on the ends, so if the wood is a bit longer, you can cut that part off. Then there is a couple others i.e. globe willow in larger sizes..cracks, some of the palo verde in larger sizes cracked.....size seems to be the secret at least here
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-27-2006, 09:49 AM
mdallensr's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,048
Default Re: Wood In a Wet/Dry Environment

One of the most stable woods is pattern-grade mahogany. It was used to make foundry patterns, which have to be precisely made and hold their dimensions in all kinds of conditions. I haven't had any small items crack during or after carving, using basswood, butternut, aspen, cherry or walnut. Sounds like the crack/checking you're seeing is due to internal stress, not humidity.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-27-2006, 10:13 AM
Hi_Ho_Sliver's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: Arizona
Posts: 9,402
Default Re: Wood In a Wet/Dry Environment

someday I am going to try mahogany! but then, someday I want to try everything ha ha
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-27-2006, 11:43 AM
Plain_Ol_Ed's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Killeen, TX/Locust Grove, OK (back and forth)
Posts: 993
Default Re: Wood In a Wet/Dry Environment

Sycamore would be a good choice imho. I've dried a lot of it in sizes from 1" to 3" and never had one split.
__________________
e.v.olson@att.net
Knife Collection

Try Open Office, It's Free
http://www.openoffice.org/
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-27-2006, 12:01 PM
Mottles's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: High Desert, Arizona
Posts: 3,684
Default Re: Wood In a Wet/Dry Environment

Thanks everyone, I knew the carvers here on WCI would have some ideas, suggestions and thoughts. I'll pass the info on to Tom and I know he will be most appreciative.
Kathy
__________________
My WCI Carver Gallery Images
http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.co...00/ppuser/3480
My WCI Scroller Gallery
http://www.scrollsawer.com/gallery/s...0/ppuser/12025
My Web Site
http://www.colorjourney.com
Prescott Wood Bee Carvers
http://www.colorjourney.com/id18.html
Measure Twice Cut Once
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-27-2006, 09:25 PM
Claude's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 1,527
Default Re: Wood In a Wet/Dry Environment

You might consider Olive wood. I've made several working spoons and spatulas out of olive and they see daily use, often sitting in a pan of water in the sink for an hour, then being washed in soap and water, dried on the counter top and thrown back in the drawer. No problems with cracking, even with this kind of abuse.

Claude
__________________
My web site
My WCI Gallery
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-27-2006, 10:16 PM
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 16
Default Re: Wood In a Wet/Dry Environment

I have a smallish piece of mid-grade mahogany you are welcome to if you'd like.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:06 PM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.10
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.1.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2007 Fox Chapel Publishing Co., Woodcarving Illustrated
Tell a Friend
New Carving Books
Vote for your favorite Santa now