More Flawed Hawthorn

[Walney Col]

This time it's been flawed deliberately.

I got another small wonderful lump of hawthorn of an abourist pal the other day. The trunk had grown with a distinctly heart-shaped cross section and knowing I liked odd looking lumps of wood she put it aside for me then promptly forgot about it. So by the time I eventually got it the ends were already cracked a good inch deep despite her belatedly painting it to try and prevent it cracking any further and it gave me a bit of an idea.

Seeing as it's only about 6" long anyway why not go along with the "broken hearted" theme and see exactly how bad I can break it? haha
This is where we're starting from...

It's already been in a centrally heated environment for the best part of a month but I'm about to up the ante and sit it on top of the radiator.

The general idea is that once it's stable I'll fill the cracks/glue it back together with blood red casting resin (what else), cut it into slices, maybe scroll saw some painfully cliche'd blurb about being broken hearted on em, and see what I get. It may not be subtle but it makes me smile wondering how corny I can get it.

Col.

 

[SimonT]

Great idea, will look forward to the corny blurb and pics

 

[Walney Col]

I've been holding a caption competition of face book, these are the entries so far:-

You crack me up
Don't worry, I hugged it first!
"One careful owner"
Broken but still lovable.
your are the tree on which i lean
fragile heart handle with care
Our Love will grow
mend my heart

 

[Claymore]

........

 

[nadnerb]

Hi Col
you could use it for divorces as well "you broke my heart, you puppy"
I'll get my coat....
Regards
Brendan

 

[SimonT]

Hi Col
you could use it for divorces as well "you broke my heart, you puppy"
I'll get my coat....
Regards
Brendan

=D> =D>

 

[Walney Col]

Why don't you go the whole hog and make a musical box with it that plays Wooden Heart..... if ya like a bit of Don Williams "Some broken hearts never mend" lol
Think that sea air is getting to ya Colin 9-)

Oh they're both great suggestions. That don williams one in particular has been a firm favourite of mine for decades!

 

[Walney Col]

Hi Col
you could use it for divorces as well "you broke my heart, you puppy"
I'll get my coat....
Regards
Brendan

Another musical box perhaps? "My D. I. V. O. R. C. E. became final today!"

 

[Claymore]

...........

 

[bugbear]

This time it's been flawed deliberately.

That's a good creative idea. It's also a wonderful demonstration of how important proper seasoning
is - by demonstrating the alternative!

BugBear

 

[Walney Col]

They're coming along nicely. Moisture content is currently around 18% (down from 34% a couple of days ago). They need to drop to around 10% before I can start cutting.

 

[nadnerb]

Looking good Col, I am looking forward to seeing the finished article
Regards
Brendan

 

[Walney Col]

Three days of forced drying on the radiator has left the pieces with a moisture content of zero and cracks you could drive a bus through.

Next job is to see if I can flatten them a bit. I'm hoping to get 5 or 6mm thick out of most of them but I've one in particular (second photo) that I should be able to flatten to nearer 25mm and maybe mount a music box mechanism in the back.

The resin was el-cheapo "water clear casting resin" bought off ebay and the "inca gold metal flake" (also ebay) I decided to go with instead of a solid red pigment was a beggar to use (i.e. I'm now wearing sparkly clothes haha) but it looks downright charming suspended in the resin.

More to come as and when I get them flattened.

Col.

 

[Claymore]

..........

 

[Walney Col]

After a couple of weeks of pretty intense weather I finally got out to the shed today to flatten my bits of hawthorn. I used an 80 grit wheel mounted in my mini lathe to flatten the front of each piece completely but only did the backs enough so prevent them rocking as I cut them. I got some curious results from the drying process. The thickest piece (25mm, top centre in the photo) broke clean in half and had to be glued back together, while the thinnest piece which is less than 10mm (bottom left in photo) cracked the least.

Now all I have to do is decide what phrase to carve on each of them. The thick one is going to be hollowed out at the back to take a clock mechanism, the rest are probably going to be wall-hanging plaques.

Col.

 

[nadnerb]

Hi Col
They turned out well, keep us informed of your progress!!
Regards
Brendan

 

[Walney Col]

Got the lettering in the first heart cut and filled in yesterday, this is what it looks like, now lots of sanding and polishing to make the gold flakes really stand out clear.

Col.

 

[Claymore]

...........

 

[John15]

Very nice indeed Colin,

John

 

[bugbear]

Good idea, well carried out.

BugBear