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View Full Version : What do you think of turning green timber ?



JDarvall
6th June 2008, 09:26 AM
A new experience for me.

I'm turning up about 3 dozern knobs at the moment from 4x4" about 200mm long. With a tenon on them to sit on fence posts. will size the tenon properly once they've dryed a bit.

I got some bloodwood from the local mill. Its turning nicely. But it couldn't be greener, the juice builds up heavily on the tool, and fingers staining up as it reacts with the steel.

I've got the impression that bloodwoods a pretty stable timber from past experience.

no big deal really, since there just for fence posts, but I wonder how they will crack up a bit as they dry.

robutacion
6th June 2008, 02:27 PM
Hi apricotripper,

Turning "most" green timbers can be a very pleasant experience. The tools seem to cut forever and better, the shavings can form interesting forms, shapes and sizes, and they fly like "angels":doh:.

One of the "golden" rules with green turning is, the thickness left in the rough turned piece should be never less than 1", more for bigger pieces but, to keep a long explanation short, the sealant or timber stabiliser you use on it after you turn green timber, can make the difference between finish the piece latter on or put in the firewood pile. Not all timber are the same, some just crack regardless what you do, but in general most timbers accept green turning as a mean of removing most excessive material allowing the piece to dry a lot quicker (less volume and thicknesses). So generally speaking if turning green, leave things bigger than what you want, account for wobbles and movement, this way you are giving to yourself a good chance of creating the piece you intended in the first place!

Hope this helps.

Cheers:2tsup:
RBTCO

JDarvall
6th June 2008, 06:21 PM
It does help. Thankyou kindly. I didn't know about the 1" bit.

I finished them off today. I forgot to clear the chips from the previous day. They'd fallen all over my jointer bed. Normally wouldn't think anything of it. But I forgot their wet.....Found the jointer covered in rust just from it sitting there overnight.

Did enjoy it better like you said. Particularily like the lower levels of dust in the air. I've got no mask or dust extraction yet, but noticed no cake up of dust in the nose, when I hit the bath, like I'd normally have.

What do you mean by sealent or timber stabilizer ? ....is something you use specifically for green wood ?

rsser
6th June 2008, 07:44 PM
For a green bowl, the rule of thumb is to leave wall thickness about 10% of the diameter.

robutacion
6th June 2008, 10:15 PM
Hi apricotripper,

Sealers and timber stabilisers, are use in either green or dry timbers. Particularly with green timbers after rough turned, is important to control (stabilise) the movement of the timber due to the stress caused by removing large portions of timber from the log/blank original mass. The idea is to coat the timber with a protective sealant, making the natural drying process a little slower and more controlled, voiding larger cracks and excessive wobbling. Any timber sealer does the job, I prefer to use 2 good soaking coats of Fungishield from FeastWatson, as this product gives me excelent results. Any Mitre 10 will supply this product as many other stores, get the free catalogue and read its specifications, you will see!:2tsup:

You are correct, turning green timber does produce very little or no dust, and as you have found, one of the negatives is to leave the shavings on top of metal surfaces, or not to keep all exposed metals (lathe, chuck, tools, etc.,) clean and lubricated with fines oils such as WD40, etc.:o

A little maintenance doesn't hurt, huh?:;

Cheers
RBTCO

Claw Hama
6th June 2008, 10:22 PM
Should use oil rather than WD40 which is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture. One of the other brands (Ausie) has lanolin in it which is much better.

JDarvall
7th June 2008, 04:14 AM
Hi apricotripper,

Sealers and timber stabilisers, are use in either green or dry timbers. Particularly with green timbers after rough turned, is important to control (stabilise) the movement of the timber due to the stress caused by removing large portions of timber from the log/blank original mass. The idea is to coat the timber with a protective sealant, making the natural drying process a little slower and more controlled, voiding larger cracks and excessive wobbling. Any timber sealer does the job, I prefer to use 2 good soaking coats of Fungishield from FeastWatson, as this product gives me excelent results. Any Mitre 10 will supply this product as many other stores, get the free catalogue and read its specifications, you will see!:2tsup:

You are correct, turning green timber does produce very little or no dust, and as you have found, one of the negatives is to leave the shavings on top of metal surfaces, or not to keep all exposed metals (lathe, chuck, tools, etc.,) clean and lubricated with fines oils such as WD40, etc.:o

A little maintenance doesn't hurt, huh?:;

Cheers
RBTCO

:D yes, well, I suppose, like many, most of my lessons are learn't the hard way. Thanks for the tips. get myself some sealent.

JDarvall
7th June 2008, 04:17 AM
Should use oil rather than WD40 which is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture. One of the other brands (Ausie) has lanolin in it which is much better.

I agree with WD40. Not with lanolin though. The stuff goes on nicely, I found, but drys sticky. Things don't run well over sticky. Lately I prefer the camilia oil. Getting it from the health food section at coles. Cheaper than woodworking supply shops.

NeilS
7th June 2008, 01:02 PM
.....I prefer the camilia oil. Getting it from the health food section at coles. Cheaper than woodworking supply shops.

Useful tip there on cheaper camelia oil supply!!!

Thanks

Neil

hughie
7th June 2008, 05:07 PM
I would only use lanolin if I was going lay up the lathe for a time. I often use WD40 for short duration, if your concerned about the moisture being absorbed into the WD40 try mixing say 10% mineral oil with it.
But WD40 is fine for the over night time frame as it allows a quick wipe to get under way again.

Bodgy
7th June 2008, 06:19 PM
Jake

My experience has been that the piece wil eventually crack if turned green.

My neighboour turns green, leaving a margin as others have said, he then stores the piece(s) in a water barrell for a while. Apparently the wood dries out slowly and doesn't crack.

Can't see how, myself, but he's been doing this for years and his stuff is excellent.

robutacion
9th June 2008, 12:58 PM
Hi Bodgy,
Sorry to hear that you have no luck with green turnings.
You should be able to improve the results, as in my experience, lets say, 2% become firewood, 10% will develop repairable cracks, 20% wobble considerably, more than half continue stable with little movements and probably 10% does not move at all, making me thing why didn't I finished it then...! off course, is a lot harder to finish, send, etc., wet or moistured timber surfaces. Nevertheless, the final results of turning green timber, are a direct result (depend upon) timber species, thickness, size of the piece, sealant or stabiliser used, drying condition, and drying time. There are other factors, but these are the most important or most common.

I still claim that the product used immediately after rough turning the timber as a sealer/stabiliser, is of crucial importance.

Hope this helps...!

Cheers:2tsup:
RBTCO

Little Festo
10th June 2008, 04:55 PM
I really enjoy turning wet/green timber. Easier to turn, cleaner, and only the final turning is dusty. Re the cracking I've found that it's better not to be too greedy and completly remove the central heartwood, the pith. Most (not all) cracks develop there.

I paint the roughed bowl with endcheck or Mobilseal (spelling??) inside and out. I have some local Sheaoak roughs that were turned wet that are really warping. Sheaoak very prone to cracking and requires checking for cracks (no pun intended). I use CA on the cracks when they appear. After painting I paper bag them too. I used to use plastic bags BUT found that mold can be a problem although useful for spaulting you blanks.

Re the soaking do a Google on soaking in soapy water, some people swear by it, also on boiling, supposed to work really well too.

Happy turning wet :U- Peter

RayG
10th June 2008, 06:23 PM
I see a common practice is to immerse in DNA (DeNatured Alcohol), or methylated spirits. -- I have never done it, but others around probably have and can tell you if it works.

I can see how it might speed up drying, but not sure how it would affect checking.