Splitting Beechwood

[mooseling]

Hey all! First time posting here. There's some really swaggin creations on this site, I'm just a dude with a jigsaw and a pocket knife, I feel a little out of my depth. But that's ok! I have a problem and I need advice. I started carving an ocarina out of a bit of beechwood I found. As the wood dries out in my house it splits, which is a little impractical for a wind instrument. I'll attach some pictures.

The big leaf-shaped bit is one half of the body of the ocarina. These cracks aren't too big, I was going to fill them with wood glue, since that's what I have. The little stubby thing was going to become the mouthpiece. That part has split really badly, I don't think I can patch that up.

What do you think I should do? Is there any neat looking stuff I could patch those holes with? Something red or gold?

Thanks!

 

[CHJ]

Have a read of this thread. help-t85458.html

Most of the answers are applicable to your problem.

Better make sure that the piece of wood has dried out fully before attempting to do anything, put it on or by a radiator.

Wood from the wild or found in an outside situation should be dried out as slowly as possible, small branch wood especially.

Although talking about much larger quantities of wood than you are looking at, a read of this info. may be of use. http://www.quest42.co.uk/woodwork/html/ ... rning.html

 

[swb58]

I think you have got to source your wood with half an idea of what you are going to do with it. It looks like the mouthpiece part has been made from a full round of 'branch' and has split into the centre as you'd get in a normal log as it dries. Get a log then split it in half, leave to season then make your parts and you shouldn't have much trouble . . . . not as much as you have now anyway.

Sorry if I'm Granny sucking eggs,

 

[Alexam]

That was useful information. Thanks both.