Wood cracking

Being 2" thick - sounds like a plate/shallow bowl blank - One would think it was dry. I suspect water was out but not the oil. The light oil evaporated under heat or opening of the grain and it dried further.

It might take a plastic bag or wrap around it between turnings - or at least a paper bag to limit moisture flow, in or out.

Mart> Back in August the wife got me a beatuiful piece of olive wood from Wood

I have turned two olive blanks of the same size. I just measured another blank that I have at about 18% moisture content. I turned the first bowl to near final thickness and put it in a paper bag with its shavings for one month and then finished it. That was a month ago and it is OK so far. The second one I turned to final thickness and sanded but did not turn the foot or put on a finish. I again put it in a bag with its shavings. That was two weeks ago, I just checked it and no cracking so far. I plan to turn the foot and put on a finish in another two weeks.

I've never paid for olive, but I've made a lot with it - I can't imagine it being expensive, just get a piece from a cut down tree....

that said, don't despair. take your piece --- 1/4 inch walls are kind of thick, but that's a design decision ---- and boil it for about an hour - there is a good change the cracks will close back up. let it dry back out, put some super glue in the cracks and re-sand it. you will not see the cracks without a microscope.

second, learn to live with cracks, exploit them, fill/glue them do whatever it takes to integrate them into your design

As a last resort before chunking it, this has saved some bowls for me: get a plastic container with a lid, larger than the bowl. Get a jug of white glue (got mine from Lowe's) and mix enough half & half with water to cover the bowl completely. Put a large rock or half brick in the bowl to keep it submerged and let it soak in the stuff 2 or three days. Take it out, wipe it down and let dry in a paper bag.

About half the time it will dry with the cracks healed. Re-turn and sand as necessary.

The last thing I used this on was a 1/2" by 4" disk with a hole in the center from an OLD spinning wheel. I had turned a replacement piece but wanted to save the old one if possible. It had a crack from the center hole to the perimeter about 1/8" wide and it closed up completely after the glue brew treatment. The customer had planned to actually use the wheel but wanted it all original if possible.

Further comment: Too aggressive power sanding will build up heat and cause fine checking on some woods.

Though the olive wood was dry, but I think the moisture content of the olive wood was still higher than the air humidity and the moisture flowed out, which caused the checks.

Was the piece of olivewood entirely covered in wax when you bought it, or just the ends? If entirely covered, then the wood didnt get a chance to loose the moisture content.

Bill

Sometimes sanding at high speed generates heat and causes checking. Have had that happen with sweetgum.

Olive is notorious for checking and cracking - while drying - while turning (green or "dry") - or just sitting around after being turned. It seems proned to self destruction - regardless of what you try to do to stop it.

Turn with a misting bottle handy and use it as you turn as thin as you can, as quickly as you can. Put it in the freezer if you can't turn it to completion in one session. Still may crack and split and check - but is more apt to deform than tear itself apart.

I've had much better results with boiling than with freezing