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Thread: Have you ever commissioned a custom peice with imperfections?

  1. #1
    Jenny Guest

    Default Have you ever commissioned a custom peice with imperfections?

    And if so, how did you resolve it with the maker? I commissioned a beautiful custom peice recently from a small, local artisan - was very impressed with the other peices he had on display. I paid in advance, but when I saw the finished peice today there was a large and prominent crack in a visible area. None of his pther work that I've seen has such a defect. Thank god the syle is rustic so it doesn't totally wreck the peice but I'm still disappointed. He mentioned that since the wood was kiln dried, the crack wouldn't deepen over time - is that true?

    Edit: Not sure if I should have put this in the case goods section
    Last edited by Jenny; 02-07-2017 at 05:28 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default Re: Have you ever commissioned a custom peice with imperfections?

    I'd like to see a photo.

    Generally cracks are bad and not acceptable (GENERALLY!). The wood may be kiln dried, but sometimes its not dried up enough. I don't accept cracked wood pieces from my makers. This custom table just came in from John Buchanan yesterday. It was delayed by several weeks as the top cracked during the build and he had to build a new one. John would never bring me anything cracked - he knows better than to do that. Cracks can and do widen. Not all of them, but most of them. All woodworkers have pieces that 'blow up' on them. It's a hazard of the trade.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by drcollie; 02-09-2017 at 03:47 PM.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default Re: Have you ever commissioned a custom peice with imperfections?

    BTW, if you want to stop a crack in wood, you have to get out a chisel and put in what is know as a "Butterfly Key", otherwise the crack will keep spreading. I've seen a few guys drill a hole at the end of a crack and glue in a dowel, but that usually just delays it a bit and it continues. Here's the right way to do it, and they can be very artistic. You can always resin fill the crack as long as you use the butterfly joint to keep it from spreading. Last photo shows a resin fill.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

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