Movement problems?

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ChrisN

ChrisN

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Joined
Mar 23, 2013
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730
Location
Denver, PA
I recently finished a segmented pen with aluminum from a soda can. I use a CA finish, and the barrels were smooth when I was done. For a few days, the barrels were still smooth, but today I can feel ridges between the segments.:eek: Is this just something that can't be gotten away from? Today we have high humidity, and is it possible that the wood just expanded? Is there any "cure" for this?
 
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How dry was the wood when you segmented it? If not completely dry it may have shrunk as it dried. Epoxy or ca to glue the tubes? Possible the humidity effected it if there was not thorough adhesion/coverage inside the blank.
 
Wood is a dynamic material. It moves with changes in humidity. Different woods behave differently. Metal moves with changes in temperature. If your wood was at equilibrium with your local environment and you don't get big swings in humidity / temp it shouldn't be super problematic. If your wood was either a lot drier or wetter than it would normally be at equilibrium or you get big temperature swings season to season, your smooth finish won't last.

I was watching a video where someone had laminated aluminum into a peppermill parallel to the grain. It tore itself apart is a relatively short amount of time.

Wood movement in small pieces like pens isn't as big a structural issue as it is in furniture, but it can still cause issues.

Ed
 
Both woods were dry. I used epoxy to glue my tubes. I don't have the right size drill bits, so I have to ream out the holes, and they were a bit tight. Possibly it didn't have enough coverage inside. I took the pen into an air conditioned room, and the ridges mostly went away. I suppose it's just something you have to live with.
 
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