only slightly crazy

[Daddy3x]

I green turned out an oak bowl yesterday, appox 12-13" dia. I turned it to final thickness, as even as possible, then sanded it to 320. I am happy with it, will attach pics when I get my camera back. I put it on the drying rack to sit for some time until it no longer feels cool and loses some weight. My kid picked up the bowl and put it on his head like some Star Wars character and said he heard it making noise. I put my ear right on it and sure enough it was making a crackling noise (a crazy sight to be seen I know). I have never heard this. Is this just drying or should I expect to see some splits any day now?

[Ad de Crom]

Yeah Daddy, that's oak, unpredictable wood. Have a lot of oak in my store, I never turn it wet, the best is to let it lay on a dry place in the open air for at least a couple of years.

Ad :)

[Sawdust Maker]

I've turned some english oak wet. One piece went oval and a small hairline crack. year later re chucked it - turned out great. gave to the lady whom gave me the timber - turns out SWMBO really liked it now I'm in the poo.

Anyway another piece, turned the same day split like hell and ended up as firewood. couldn't work out why. both treated the same

one of those inexplicable things :doh::no::~

[Daddy3x]

I just turned the above stated bowls sibling and left it a bit thicker this time, diameter is approx the same. I am kind of just experimenting with these as I hear of turners going from log to final bowl (less finish) is one session as long as it is turned evenly. Anyone go from green to finish wihout time consuming drying time?

[robutacion]

I just turned the above stated bowls sibling and left it a bit thicker this time, diameter is approx the same. I am kind of just experimenting with these as I hear of turners going from log to final bowl (less finish) is one session as long as it is turned evenly. Anyone go from green to finish wihout time consuming drying time?

That would be everyone's dream...,:C inclueding myself, believe me!. I've turned green a good variety of timber species, with results varying considerably. Some timbers, react quite well with the removal of large portions of its material/structure, allowing the piece to continue balanced while turning, and some of them even allow the fine sanding for finishing stages. Some timbers will not turn balanced as you cut through, (there are various reasons why, [water been pushed to one side, only], [concentration of resins unevenly], [knots or other,making the piece heavier to one side] etc., etc.). Some other timber do stress that much that, they work like a " piece of rubber", moving and changing shape as you turn them. This tent to happen on some very soft and very green timbers, indeed some of them will not last the final rough turning cuts, with total separation, caused by cracks developing while turning. This can also be triggered if the green piece is attached to the chuck jaws, in expansion mode, allowing the timber to "explode" out of the chuck, when gripping is no longer possible.:o

These are the 3 most common results, when turning green timbers, but not only!.
On the other hand, is very possible to finish a green piece (whit some specific/selected timber species), but you can expect some changes (shrinking, shape, dimensions, colours, small/medium/large cracks, and even total separation) happening as the piece dries. This can also happen quite quickly, or take many months, depends.:~

I didn't like to turn green timbers much, when I started turning just because of the drying time, waiting "thing", I wanted to finish the pieces from start to finish. This is indeed, a simple phenomenon that happen(ed) to everyone at some stage. I believe, this become less of a problem (quite acceptable), after you have a few rough turnings done, there is, at some stage you will catch up (in between doing dry and green turnings), you start to have pieces that have been drying for long enough for you to finish them. In no time, you will find that you have more pieces waiting for finishing, then the time you have. At this point, turning green/waiting to dry, becomes a good thing, believe me!.:D

Anyway, these are my views of the subject, with a lot more to be said but, everyone has their own ideas and processes, is no such thing as the "wrong thing" on this but instead, what works for you.:;

I've got too many pics on the subject but, I'm sharing this one of a piece I've turned last year, beginning of summer. The timber is Golden Wattle, and the log was "half" green, cut from a tree 6 months prior. Turned and finished (timber oil) in one go, no cracks or any other damaged visible or noticed while creating it. Taken inside home, put on a display/drying shelf, in my computer room for 6 months before they (pieces) go anywhere, "control room", yeah...!:cool:.
Pieces are checked (looked at, most times), every day, with many origin "sounds" never located but this time, a loud crack sound has developed about 4 feet from the left side of my face, and for my surprise and shock, I've seen this particular piece "open"/ divide in pieces, like a the petals flower in time of bloom.
I did not try to fix it, I'm keeping it as a sample, even tough I was disappointed, I liked this piece very much, shame...!:~

Cheers:2tsup:
RBTCO

[Daddy3x]

Thanks for the input, I get anxious to keep seeing a final product. Having neglected my usual woodworking projects for this turning addiction, I need to change my thinking to not expecting immediate results. The allure of going from green to finish is so appealing because I have gotten away with it a few times and so I keep going back to it. Looks like I will start to concentrate on getting a good supply on the drying rack for the upcoming winter months. Thanks again.

[hughie]

Daddyx3,

There are alot of methods to shorten the time taken to dry green timber and, all, if not most have been discussed on this forum at one time or another.

Heres a few that come to mind.

Microwave drying, boiling, freezing,DNA soaking, Liquid soap soaking, Water immersion, and the old favourite "time on the shelf"

"Time on the shelf" pretty well suits every type of timber. The rest have success rates that are not universal. That is, they are best on certain timbers, but not all.

Use the search box and you should get a very good idea of what works with what.

[OGYT]

I've turned a 17" Red Oak (US) Bowl from start (throwing water everywhere) to finish (3/8" thickness throughout, including the bottom). After I got the outside turned to the shape I wanted, I kept the outside wet (spraying soapy water - this keeps the stresses down some, I think) while I finished turned the inside. Had to wait for a couple of extra hours for epoxy and turquoise to set after filling a couple of voids. It ovaled out big-time, when dry, but didn't crack, and the epoxy/turquoise stayed in the inclusions. I've turned several pieces wet/green to finish, and I've lost a few, but for the most part, they warp like crazy. I've found that having the bottom as thin, or thinner, than the rest will somehow help to keep it from cracking... as bad... as having the bottom thicker than the sides.
(Grrr... Ain't it sickening when you have a computer problem after you download an Antivirus Program? Just got mine back on the net after a month or so of trial and error computing.)