I realize that it has, again, been more than a day since the last update, but the push has really been on to get the last Halloween pipe finished. It was supposed to be two, but alas, one fell by the wayside. This one was going to be the sole morta of the bunch, a large handmade goblin-esque piece that was going to feature a flared face that matched the grain. Unfortunately, in the middle of carving, I found this small crack... which kept opening. Eventually it became the fissure seen in the second picture, and when I tested it with a needle, the needle went nearly all of the way into the wood! So, into the wood stove it goes.
A lot of folks ask about that, but the unfortunate fact is, the costs of x-rays and such are more than could be supported by the pipe prices. In other words, it's less expensive to have to throw out a piece now and then, and waste the labor, than to try x-raying every block in advance. Fortunately I did not have that much time in the pipe yet, just a couple of hours maybe.
ReplyDeleteSounds like something to look for in a medical supply auction. :) Maybe something designed for dentistry would be the right scale. Whether laser, ultrasonic, or x-ray, it seems like there should be something that would work well.
ReplyDeleteNot that I'm suggesting that it's actually practical for you, but maybe it will stick in someone head, they'll run across a good deal, and they'll donate it to you so that we get more pipes!