Turning a Natural Edge Bowl from Green Wood
Since the March 2020 meeting had to be canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, Cliff Baker changed his live demonstration on turning a natural edge bowl from green wood to a video demonstration.
There are two videos. the first includes a lot of information about safety, selecting wood, tools, and turning tips and then shows how to turn the bowl and prepare it for drying.
The second video has not been published yet but will discuss the drying process, sanding, using a vacuum chuck to complete the base, and finishing the bowl with pure tung oil.
Wood Shrinkage As wood dries, it shrinks which can lead to cracks that can ruin a rough or completed turning. Some species are more prone to cracking than others and that depends on the extent to which they shrink in width and thickness as they dry. This article discusses moisture content and wood shrinkage in detail and lists the radial and tangential shrinkage for about 80 North American wood species. An interesting graph is included that helps you estimate the likelihood that a turning will crack as it dries.
by WVWA, a chapter of the American Association of Woodturners Return