Need help with a "pop out" problem...UPDATED

[new2woodwrk]

Once in awhile (not often, about once in 30 units) after cutting a puzzle I get what I call a "pop out".

What it is: I'm using Poplar and sometimes there is a very dark grain running inside. It's almost as if there were a fire during the life of the tree and this is a remnant of it. Anyway, it's not exactly a knot, but after I cut a small piece "pops out" of this blackened area.

Sometimes the "pop out" is in the middle, which I can usually fill with filler or with glue and matching dust.

However, sometimes the "pop out" is on the tip of the unit and I don't know how to fill it when that happens

I've tried filler, glue with dust, putting the piece back in it's cut out to brace it before gluing or filling - I have yet to be able to fix one of these when it happens on the edge of a unit

I use these units now as samples and they're marked so I don't sell them, but I would like to be able to fix them.

Any suggestions other than treating them as firewood?

Thanks as always in advance for reading

Edited May 18, 2021 by new2woodwrk

[Roberta Moreton]

A picture might help 

[FrankEV]

I'm thinking the only thing to use is an epoxy to fill the void.  It may mean yu have to re-cut the area that you fill.  

[crupiea]

Notice how its never the first piece you cut but either the last or close to it.  Enough to ruin the entire days work, lol

Thats been my experience anyway. 

[new2woodwrk]

5 minutes ago, crupiea said:

Notice how its never the first piece you cut but either the last or close to it.  Enough to ruin the entire days work, lol

Thats been my experience anyway. 

I know right? LOL

[new2woodwrk]

8 hours ago, FrankEV said:

I'm thinking the only thing to use is an epoxy to fill the void.  It may mean yu have to re-cut the area that you fill.  

I would prefer to stay away from epoxy and re-cutting is not really option - I'm not good enough to duplicate a piece. I've tried and it's way out of my league.

[new2woodwrk]

18 hours ago, Roberta Moreton said:

A picture might help 

I'll try and take a pic - don't think the fault will show up well enough in a photo,

[new2woodwrk]

Pics:

You can't really see the pop out but you follow the line to the right that the down arrow is pointing to you'll see the popout on the edge

I'm assuming that line to be the "burn" mark from a fire - but no clue if that is accurate.

The arrow on the right (pointing left) is where the popout is

[Roberta Moreton]

It looks like an extra large grain line or something. With the grain running that direction there is nothing you can do that I see. 

[MrsN]

I think it is a wood defect known as shake "a separation of the wood along a growth ring". Something caused the tree to grow funny for a year leaving a discoloration and week spot. 

Can you call it character a keep it? 

[new2woodwrk]

10 hours ago, MrsN said:

I think it is a wood defect known as shake "a separation of the wood along a growth ring". Something caused the tree to grow funny for a year leaving a discoloration and week spot. 

Can you call it character a keep it? 

Character... Very cool!

I use it as a display but - now that it has "character", it's on the market LOL

Thanks @MrsN

[new2woodwrk]

I spoke to my mill guy about this, he says it's a fungi in the wood that causes these black/brown lines

It happens in various parts of the country/world and is fairly common.

Just thought I would update the thread