# Natural forks split overnight.



## Frenchieboy

I was out in the woods yesterday and came across a bit of a tree that had been felled some time ago when I spotted what looked like a really nice chunky fork that could be whittled and carved into a great OTT Shooter that was plenty big enough to allow a nice sized palm swell and finger grips. I cut it to the size I wanted and took it home and stripped the bark.

All looked well with no cracks or faults showing so I put it on a shelf in my study to work on at a later date.

This morning (To my horror) I noticed that one of the forks had split wide open and the rest of it had a load of splits running up through the full length of it which I think will render these completely useless.

The overnight temperature in my study is not overly warm but the shelf I put it on is a couple of feet above one of my tropical fish tanks which is kept covered and at around 80 degrees F.

Can anyone offer any sort of an explanation as to why these cracks could have appeared overnight and rendered a natural fork which looked like it had massive potential to look completely useless and is there anything that can be done to save these forks please.


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## sagecraft

You peeled the bark off.. the wood dried unevenly from inside out.. to prevent this from happening dont peel the bark off. Leave it oversized til it has dried completely. If your in a hurry and have already taken off the bark dry it in the microwave..

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## Blue Raja

Thanks, Sagecraft. I have a fork from a dead apple tree drying now. I will leave the bark on and resist the urge to work on it until it is completely dry.


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## kobe23

I think if you soak it in oil, work on it using the knife and not rasping, then sealing it with some kind of varnish should work? I assume, haven't worked on them that way.


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## Grandpa Grumpy

I will take a guess as to why it split overnight. Even though the tree was felled some time ago there must of been moisture in the wood. When you cut it and stripped the bark the fork dried too quickly causing the splits. Moisture/heat from the fish tank may have played a part in the splits. You don't say what kind of tree it was but some woods just have a tendency to split. I cut some lilac forks once, left the bark on and sealed the ends and left them in the shed. When I checked a couple of months later they had all split just like yours.

I always cut my forks a couple inches longer than the finished length even when I think the wood is dry. I leave the bark on and zap it in the micro wave to make sure it is dry. After I have done most of the shaping then I cut the forks and handle to length. The extra length gives you something to hold on to or clamp in a vise.

You could probably save this fork by filling the cracks with epoxy or super glue but since you don't have a lot of time invested yet I would probably toss it and look for another.


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## Frenchieboy

Thanks for the replies guys. I will remember not to strip the bark too soon in the future.

I believe that the wood is either Ash or Sycamore, I'm not 100% sure.

As for the fork, as nice a fork as it is and even with that much potential I would not be able to fully trust it with those sort of cracks in it (Even filled with epoxy or similar) so I don't think I have any option but to class it as scrap and a valuable lesson learned.

There's certainly a lot to learn for me yet guys! :hmm:


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## StretchandEat

What kind of wood?


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## Frenchieboy

StretchandEat said:


> What kind of wood?


As stated in my previous post I believe that it is either Ash or Sycamore.

Since I posted this morning another large split has appeared in the other fork so I think there is no option but to bin it!


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## ghost0311/8541

Cut down the cracks wood glue color paper and glue it all back together and then pin it it will hold.


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## Viper010

If you give it time to dry out fully and then fill the cracks with epoxy resin mixed with glow in the dark powder or colored pigment, let the resin set, then carve, sand and finish, you could have a really cool piece there with tons of uniqueness and character.

I don't think you will have any issues with structural integrity after the resin repairs.


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## jazz

Yes, those cracks are not a problem at all, quite contrary, if you seal/stuff them well they will hold and might represent a special, accentuated detail.

Once, just as you now, I had a beautiful cherry-plum fork that split badly along the handle all way up to the tip of the fork, and I threw it away thinking it is no good at all.. but never again!

cheers,

jazz


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## sagecraft

Hmmm.. i think their ideas might be spot on.. specially with the glow in the dark powder.. you see the grains on a natural run from the tips of the fork down to the base of the handle.. so even with those cracks running up and down the fork as long as it does not cross the grains the fork is structurally sound.. a good way to test this is seal all those cracks with epoxy or whatever and then after it has dried try and twist and pull apart the forks with all your strength.. if it doesnt give way then you can be confident that you can use the fork safely..

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## Frenchieboy

Looking at the recent replies it might be just as well that I haven't binned the forks yet as it seems that they could possibly be saved.

Is there any particular epoxy or glue that anyone could recommend for filling the forks that are cracked please.

The reason I am asking is because I have "a strong picture in my mind" of how these forks could be made into a very impressive "chunky looking" OTT shooter complete with palm swell and carefully filed finger "slots" for comfort (And looks) so it would be a real shame if they are not salvageable!

By the way guys - Thanks for the time you have spent in replying and trying to help, it's much appreciated!


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## FermentedPickle

I use the gorilla glue two part epoxy myself


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## Chuck Daehler

It never bothered me that a fork cracked..that's just the wood's natural tendency and yes leaving the bark on helps prevent but is not guaranteed to prevent splitting.

When I'm sanding I save sanding dust. Rasp dust isn't dust, it's too large of a particle size to do what I'll say in a sec. With sanding dust you mix it with epoxy glue to make a thick goo and pack that with a needle down into the cracks...then finish it off after the epoxy has set a day or two. For that I use a slow cure epoxy, not the 5 or 10 minutes stuff. The slow cure epoxy creeps into the crevices better over a few hours time while it's still fairly liquid. Some use CA glues and sanding dust and for surface blemishes that's fine,...mixing the dust with CA glue and packing it into the blemish and sanding all the while to make more dust etc.. while the CA hardens..about a five minute process.. but that shrinks in voids such as cracks, so I prefer epoxy for crack filling because epoxies don't shrink, they cure rather than dry by evaporating a solvent. I've seen some dandy frames with cracks filled with a contrasting color and even glow in the dark dyes put in resins such as epoxy or polyester resin..to fill the cracks in a decorative way.

If you've a vacuum chamber setup and I doubt you do, (I don't but if I made SSs for a living I sure would) you could stabilize the fork with "cactus juice" (a commercial 2 part resin you can get in USA and have shipped to UK) then fill in the large cracks accordingly as said above. You can use polyester resin in a vacuum chamber also but there's a lot of wastage and you have about 20 mintues working time before it gels and won't penetrate well. Again, if a fork cracks and I primarily use Eucalyptus which does crack, it doesn't bother me, I just fill the cracks with a needle to pack it in well, and go on.


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## Frenchieboy

Very informative Chuck, many thanks! There's hope yet for these forks!

I don't have a vacuum chamber so that idea is out of the game, but not to worry.


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## Greyman

Frenchieboy said:


> Very informative Chuck, many thanks! There's hope yet for these forks!
> I don't have a vacuum chamber so that idea is out of the game, but not to worry.


 I know it won't affect your current problem, but for future reference, I am in England and I only ever cut forks in January, as its when the wood contains the lowest amount of moisture and other toxins, as soon as the sap rises it's to late, I have made hundreds of nattys and by only cutting in January I have never experienced a fork splitting I usually cut a box full so I have enough for the year, I was told this by a guy that makes walking sticks, which are also only cut in January then left for a further three years before they work them, I would also go along with the coloured epoxy to fill the cracks there are a few guys on here that do em and they do look very nice when finished


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## Frenchieboy

Greyman said:


> Frenchieboy said:
> 
> 
> 
> Very informative Chuck, many thanks! There's hope yet for these forks!
> I don't have a vacuum chamber so that idea is out of the game, but not to worry.
> 
> 
> 
> I know it won't affect your current problem, but for future reference, I am in England and I only ever cut forks in January, as its when the wood contains the lowest amount of moisture and other toxins, as soon as the sap rises it's to late, I have made hundreds of nattys and by only cutting in January I have never experienced a fork splitting I usually cut a box full so I have enough for the year, I was told this by a guy that makes walking sticks, which are also only cut in January then left for a further three years before they work them, I would also go along with the coloured epoxy to fill the cracks there are a few guys on here that do em and they do look very nice when finished
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's well worth bearing in mind.

At the moment prefer to get my forks from trees or limbs that have already been felled or fallen rather than cut them from growing trees.

p.s. I have used the split forks and just finished a rather nice catapult from them. You can see the results in the "Homemade Slingshot" section.


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## dogcatchersito

Did you at least DAP plastic wood the Split. that would at least give it some strength.


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## Frenchieboy

dogcatchersito said:


> Did you at least DAP plastic wood the Split. that would at least give it some strength.


I carefully worked Gorilla Glue Epoxy into all of the cracks to give it some strength and then sanded it down.

It seems to have worked a treat and I am very happy with the end results.

Here's a few photos, I'll let you judge for yourself.


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## Ibojoe

Just the beauty of a natural... hey, it's a natural.


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## Dayhiker

You'll be fine with that


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## dogcatchersito

Never used that Gorrila glue epoxy. Checking the Hardware store today because that DAP is a little stiff to work with that epoxy probably fills all cracks evenly.

will be trying that today.


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## DragonEyeShooter1

Wood putty works well also and after oiled and stained leaves acool xolor difference I'll post my brand when i get home from work


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## NSFC

DragonEyeShooter1 said:


> Wood putty works well also and after oiled and stained leaves acool xolor difference I'll post my brand when i get home from work


Give us an example or 20, if you so kindly will.


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## DragonEyeShooter1

Hey guys sorry it took me so long ong to reply we got caught up with my wife's cosmetology licensing test, so i use DAP plastic wood it dries darker than most of the natural grains and textures of wood in my area so it gives a cool offset color, this a slingshot i made for one of my brothers and the darker areas are the plastic wood no oil just a couple coats of poly, it can take a couple applications to get the cracks filled right and completely just make sure you are really cramming that putty in there intil it starts overflowing from the crack or it wont seal properly and don't worry about not looking pretty when you apply and it dries it will sand beautifully smooth


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## NSFC

dogcatchersito said:


> Never used that Gorrila glue epoxy. Checking the Hardware store today because that DAP is a little stiff to work with that epoxy probably fills all cracks evenly.
> 
> will be trying that today.


Fare warning, Gorilla glue expands and has a bad habit of oozing out and making a mess. This habit will push the 2 pieces your trying to glue together apart. Clamp and or tape your awesomeness. This glue dose not sand well because its so bubbly/ porous. It also does dont take stain. In my opinion and this comes from use with disastrous results. This glue is horrible!

Good luck


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## dogcatchersito

NSFC said:


> dogcatchersito said:
> 
> 
> 
> Never used that Gorrila glue epoxy. Checking the Hardware store today because that DAP is a little stiff to work with that epoxy probably fills all cracks evenly.
> will be trying that today.
> 
> 
> 
> Fare warning, Gorilla glue expands and has a bad habit of oozing out and making a mess. This habit will push the 2 pieces your trying to glue together apart. Clamp and or tape your awesomeness. This glue dose not sand well because its so bubbly/ porous. It also does dont take stain. In my opinion and this comes from use with disastrous results. This glue is horrible!
> 
> Good luck
Click to expand...

Yeah, I forgotten I posted that. Tried and didn't like it myself. So I still use plastic wood by DAP. Usually my go to now, for all wood filling.

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## OldGuy

Greenwood woodcarver here. There are tangential and longitudinal forces placed on the wood structure when it dries out. End results is warp, checks and splits. One way of reducing the forces is to split the raw chunk down the middle. Then remove the pith. The center, core section of the wood. Leaving that section in usually results in splitting. Rough out your piece. If time allows. Finish your carving. Thinner is better when it comes to reducing the chance of splitting. Save your shavings and bury your piece in it to slow up the drying process is required up here where RH is relatively low year round. As even as possible and slow drying reduces splitting. You may notice in this case the slingshot forks or handle bowing, bending out of alignment as it dries. May require some final finishing work.


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