# Turning green bowls



## Mallardman (Jun 30, 2016)

I'm very new to turning and I'm very anxious to try to make a bowl. My biggest question is if I turn it with Green wood after I get the rough shape where should I go from there? What drying processes do you guys use to prevent cracking and warping? Any input is greatly appreciated.


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## EastmansWoodturning (Jun 30, 2016)

Mallardman said:


> I'm very new to turning and I'm very anxious to try to make a bowl. My biggest question is if I turn it with Green wood after I get the rough shape where should I go from there? What drying processes do you guys use to prevent cracking and warping? Any input is greatly appreciated.


It's going to warp that's natural. I leave approximately 10 percent consistent wall thickness for the diameter and coat in anchor seal, then forget about it (months, maybe year or so)

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## DKMD (Jun 30, 2016)

There's no reason that you can't turn it green to final thickness and let it warp. Try it get the wall thickness even all the way down. It'll dry enough while turning to allow for immediate sanding most of the time.

If I want to twice turn, I rough them out to a wall thickness about 10% of the diameter. I write the date and species on the bottom with a sharpie. Then I coat the end grain inside and out with anchorseal. After that I toss them in a big cardboard box for a month or three. I check on them in the box... If they start to mold, I pull them out and sticker them on wire racks as soon as I see mold. Otherwise, I sticker them on racks after the month or more(sometimes I forget to check the boxes). I generally wait a year or more before re-turning them... Some woods dry faster than others. You can speed the drying with a kiln and a number of other methods, but I haven't found it necessary... After a while,I ended up accumulating enough dry roughouts to keep me busy while newer blanks dry.

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1 | Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Jun 30, 2016)

I made a kiln I use to get my stuff dry. Listed directions and pics in the tips and tricks section. "Dehydrator, not just for mangos" I can go from green to finish in days with minimum warp and my stuff haven't cracked in it.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mallardman (Jul 1, 2016)

Thanks a lot guys. Helpful as always

Reactions: Like 1


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## Jerry B (Jul 3, 2016)

DKMD pretty much covered it .... and it also depends on what you want the finished piece to look like ....
if you want a perfectly round/uniform bowl then you want to turn with an extra 10% thickness, let dry and then finish turning to desired shape/form
otherwise you can turn to final thickness, sand, then let dry & warp. just clean up/flatten the bottom and then finish however you like. (walls should be about 3/8 thick to avoid cracking)
the warped look has become pretty popular again and will definitely have a lot of character to it

Reactions: Agree 1 | Useful 1


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## gregsayers2000 (Jul 3, 2016)

I have a 5 gallon bucket of denatured alcohol that I soak my rough turnings in for up to a week depending on the size and thickness. I take it out after the soak and it it air dry until the surface id dry to the touch. I then wrap in brown paper with an opening left at the mouth of the bowl. flip it over on its top making the opening in the paper on the bottom ans set on some 1/2" sticks for air movement. Let dry from a few weeks to a month depending on wood and thickness. Turn as usual and finish with a few coats of shellac and WOP. Have yet to have any cracks, even in Osage Orange burl. Boiling also works with the same general directions as the DNA. Boil for a few hours at least.

Reactions: Like 1


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