Split the pen

[minorhero]

Hello folks,

So I was making a few pens for Christmas presents and I ran into a new problem. The wood was "ebony" pen blanks purchased from woodcraft and left in my car for a week or so. I drilled and turned them fine. But 24 hours after the pen was done they cracked. So what caused this? Moisture? Reaction wood?

I made some pens from tulip wood at the same time. The tulip wood had been in my non climate controlled shop for years and it has had no problems.

[duckkisser]

Was it waxed before you started? If so it might have been too wet and it dried on you pen kits. Or perhaps it was a piece of wood with a hair line crack that opened up after it dried.

[minorhero]

It was not waxed. I didn't notice a crack before or during turning or even after the pen was done. Or even the next morning. It was a full 24 hours later that I saw the pen had split.

[Firehawk]

"left in my car for a week"  How long did you let it acclimate in your shop before turning it?

[minorhero]

Zero time. My shop is unheated and essentially open to the elements minus rain. My car other then when I am in I is pretty much the same. That being said, it was a packaged pen blank. I have never had this trouble with a pen blank before. Either they die in the fashioning or they live forever.

[Tom Cancelleri]

I've had Ebony do that to me as well, however the blanks were in my shop which is climate controlled for weeks. before I turned it. I decided Ebony pens are a no go for me. I'd say try African Blackwood, haven't had any of them split.

[adambaum]

Ebony is one of those woods that splits. What makes it a real pain is that you can let it sit for a year to completely

acclimate, but once it's turned, it can crack. It's as if it only an 1/8" or so deep dries out well and when turned, the drying process continues, thus causing cracks.