Turning greenwood bowls

[leonard-on-his-bike]

Thanks to the incredible help I got from this forum from my previous post, my friend and I are now the proud owners of a supernova2 chuck for our Tyme avon lathe. We are yet to use it as we're being sensible and finishing off a new workbench first. Focus focus focus.

We want to get practising ASAP, but I first wanted to ask about turning green wood. Firstly because it's cheaper, more readily available and more interesting. But the most important aspect of it for me is that I enjoy searching for wood and knowing where it came from. The act of buying blanks doesn't excite me as much as using logs that I have collected.

Also, I am interested in the odd outcomes that may come about from drying, the warping and shrinking could come out with interesting results, less uniform and symmetrical. This question is aimed at turning bowls mainly.

What is your advice for turning green wood?
How would you let it dry?
Would some woods be better than others?
How long would you let it dry for before coating and finishing?

Look forward to your responses.
Thanks

 

[SVB]

Hi there,

I can recommend the following as being really useful and for a tenner delivered is probably well worth it,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Turning-Green-Wood-Michael-ODonnell/dp/1861080891

Simon

 

[Spindle]

Hi

The thinner you can turn the walls the more they will distort, possibly to the point of splitting. The greener the wood the more it will be affected during the drying process.

Regards Mick

 

[SVB]

Part 2 .....

Other than recommendation for book above, do you want to end up with interesting artistic pieces or functional salad / fruit bowl type work?

If former then turn them thin, and let nature work her wonder for all sorts of interesting effects but be prepared to lose some (relevant factors include location or absence of pith, end / side grain work, branch or trunk - reaction timber can be great fun if it survives). If latter, and functional work, then stick to side grain with pith removed, rough turn with wall thickness left at 10-15% of diameter (ie 10" bowl, leave wall 1 - 1.5"); weigh and leave in cool, dry place to air dry weighing occasionally and when no change, remount, true and turn to completion. Some recommend wrapping in bag / old shavings etc but I have not done so and cracking does occur occasionally but not enough to worry esp as timber often free so the fire gets a feed every now and then!

Hope helps,

Simon

 

[Robbo3]

This may help. Kindly provided by Chas.
- http://www.quest42.co.uk/woodwork/pdf/L ... Object.pdf

 

[woodfarmer]

Has anyone made lampshades ?? wonder if spindle turning very thin would work?

 

[Robbo3]

Has anyone made lampshades ?? wonder if spindle turning very thin would work?

No, but there are some on Youtube. The first one has only had 2.75 million views. =D>

- http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... lamp+shade

 

[woodfarmer]

for the OP.

I have found when turning green wood that it is vital to clean down your lathe and the workshop of all wet shavings after turning, If you don't rust will form everywhere. keep you lathe and tools well oiled. The sap is corrosive and can fly all over the place as when turning it will "spin dry".

 

[tekno.mage]

Has anyone made lampshades ?? wonder if spindle turning very thin would work?

The only "lampshades" I've ever made were actually meant to be bowls but I went through the bottom
I wouldn't attempt very thin spindle work with green wood (except perhaps goblet stems where distortion is desirable) as green wood is very elastic and would be incredibly "whippy" and difficult to turn in long thin sections.

 

[dann]

I turn greenwood bowls on a pole lathe and as they dry they they warp and change shape, ive got some awesome strange shapes! make sure you don`t use the heart wood and pith also make the sides thin with a slightly thicker base so there is less chance of splitting on drying

 

[finneyb]

To OP

+1 for the O'Donnell book mentioned above
Also I like the Wyoming Woodturner videos on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0t2iZrjuw8

HTH

Brian

 

[renderer01]

Hello there,
You ask about which woods you should choose for green turning.

There some woods you should avoid green turning for many reasons ie sap can cause not just corrosion to tools but some woods and sap can make you unwell. I don't want to overstate this or put anybody off, as its a rare occurrence! a little research from reliable professional research based sources will keep you safe.
I would avoid from personal experience green fruit woods as they crack and break far to readily as they dry.
Good woods in my opinion are; best of all for me winter cut silver birch and sycamore.
after that comes ash.
If you are capable of turning very thin pieces then laburnum and holly are options, holly will give some truly spectacular shapes watch out for the laburnum it will move as you turn it.
There are loads of utube videos re wet wood turning, worth a look.

Rend.

 

[dann]

Also one thing.... It's a lot less effort and much easier to get to a good standard turning dry timber on a power lathe than a pole lathe!

 

[Jonzjob]

Years back I got some VERY wet rhododendron and turned some of it. I had a shower doing it too! When it dried it went all shapes and has become one of SWMBO favorite bowls





I showed it at a village show a few years back and had to put it away to stop people insisting that I sold it to them!

Great fun..

 

[Grahamshed]

Thats a bowl with attitude that is

 

[Jonzjob]

It had a bowl movement :shock: :shock: :roll: