Ocean Spray question

[willie]

DC

nice pic that explains a lot. the crack is radial and excessive possibly because the tangential shrinkage is more than average?

Bruce Hoadley, Understanding Wood has a nice chapter on just these sort of issues, and how to work with them.

It seems that some woods have a large ratio, between the different types of shrinkage....

[DC]

Just for curiosity I figured the SG of OS. The piece I did is 1.04. It's bone dry, been kicking around my workbench for a year or so. I microwaved it just to check and the weight never changed. Every piece of OS I've checked has sunk but this is the first time I did the figuring. So it just barely sinks.

[Ed Brooks]

I checked my test pieces again, no cracks visible, however the wood has shrunk. you can see it in the bark, it's getting a wrinkle in it. Ed

[DC]

That's a week, right? Have they been in front of a heater the whole time? That's amazing. Can you throw that chunk in a bucket of water to see if it sinks. I just find it strange that others haven't commented on sinking wood.

[Ed Brooks]

DC, yes for the most part it's been directly in front of a heater. within a couple inches, I was trying to get it to crack. as far as I know OS sinks, but yes I'll toss it in some water when I get home tonight, and let you know tomorrow. Ed 

[DC]

That's bizarre. A couple of times I tried to dry pieces like that to make a mallet. I just shellacked the ends and threw them under my workbench. No joy. Maybe glue works better than shellac.

[Ed Brooks]

I don't know about glue working better than shellac, as I've seen them split with the same glue, tb3. I'm thinking my test pieces were too short and this may affect my test. will need to try it again with a full length stave, I have one that needs cut down. Ed 

[shofu]

Everything I could find online has Ocean Spray less the 1.0 specific gravity.  I tested a piece and it sunk in the bathtub. I also tossed in a piece of lignum vitae which is supposed to be the highest sg wood and a piece of high elevation Douglas fir.  The OS sunk like the LV and DF floated of course

[shofu]

On another note, I found a whole area filled with 'old growth' ocean spray today.  Trees are 4-6" diameter.  Thinking maybe that might be one solution: use bigger wood?
g

[shofu]

here is pic.  I wear size 9 glove
g

[Ed Brooks]

DC, I dropped that piece in the water last night. It sank like a rock.

[DC]

On another note, I found a whole area filled with 'old growth' ocean spray today.  Trees are 4-6" diameter.  Thinking maybe that might be one solution: use bigger wood?
g

Wow, I thought I had big OS. If you can split that in half it "should" dry OK. If it's 3" it will make full handles.

[willie]

I just find it strange that others haven't commented on sinking wood.

lol, I guess most of us are a bit envious that you can find some bow wood that dense in your backyard.

some nice sticks there, Shofu

[shofu]

I will get you some DC and continue the experiment
g

[Tree_Ninja]

 All the oceanspray I have tested sank in fresh water.


You can try salting the water to see of it floats. It is a mysterious fiber and I think it  warrants a bunch of testing/experimenting . Especially the heat treating.