Turning Green Wood

[Dan DeBruler]

So, at the urging and encouragement of some other woodturners, I decided to turn my first piece of green wood this weekend. It was a huge pear tree a neighbor was cutting down, and he let me grab a few large branches and crotch pieces before he cut it up for firewood and disposal.

Not sure how green was "green", I removed the bark from on chunk, roughed it with a bandsaw, and screwed on a faceplate to shape the bottom of a bowl. Beautiful wood. Came off clean...for a while. After shaping and cutting a tenon, I turned it around and put it in a 4-jaw chuck and started to clear the inside of the bowl, but it kept catching. At one point, it caught to the extent it tore the wood in the chuck.

Here's the question: should I have waited for a specific moisture level, or does "green" mean green?

[charlie knighton]

should I have waited for a specific moisture level, or does "green" mean green?

its personal preference........try it different ways, see what you like......fresh cut wood like cut yesterday in summer will sometimes sling water all over you, while same species cut in winter and turned the next day will not throw water

a lot of time it comes down to what do I have to turn.....as you build up a wood stash its very hard to turn it all, now I rarely take more than 3 foot of a trunk , it will just go bad and be in the way, a whole tree for a turner is a lot, espically a lot to process.......I turn and then spend more time on the embellishments than turning nowadays.....its just where you are .....learning curve

[William Bachtel]

Usually when wood catches, its a operator problem, not a green wood problem. Try a visit to a turning club, they can help way more than we can.

[Dale Miner]

Catches are not related to the moisture content of the wood.

Assuming the use of a gouge: When a catch occurs, it is worthwhile to stop the lathe and present the gouge to the non rotating wood in the same manner that caused the catch. In this way the faulty presentation of the gouge can usually be seen. Also, with the wood stopped, the gouge can be presented in several orientations until a presentation is found that will produce the cut needed while keeping the bevel in contact.

If using a scraper on the inside of a bowl, most catches occur when the cutting edge is presented below or on the center line. When cutting action begins, the force pulls the tool lower increasing the depth of cut that pulls the tool lower etc. until a catch occurs. If the scraper is presented slighty above center the cutting force pulls the edge lower decreasing the depth of cut and reducing the cutting force. A much more manageable situation.

In nearly all cases, the higher the moisture content, the easier the wood turns. The moisture content helps keep the fibers soft and lubricates the cutting edge during the process.

There are several good dvd's available that cover bowl turning. My favorite is the Del Stubbs video, but there are others that are good.

If you have a turning club near you, join and ask advice from the experienced turners. Most are very willing to help.

Pear turns very well green, and even though it gets harder when dry, it cuts clean when dry using lighter cuts.

[Dan DeBruler]

Thanks for all the replies. Something helpful in every one of them!

[Thomas Canfield]

Dan,

I like to turn green wood even when it is slinging water/sap. My shower curtains will attest to the water/sap slung. I do find that sharp tools are required with the softer wood to prevent tear out. Having the wrong angle on a bowl gouge down at the bottom can also increase the possibility of catches. Getting a true "finish" cut on the green wood is hard with the soft wood. You did not say what size pear you were turning or depth, but as always deeper bowls make riding the bevel hard with a standard bowl gouge. I found some 20" Bradford Pear once, and keep looking for anything over 12".

[Dan DeBruler]

Thanks, Thomas. This particular piece of pear was about 8" in diameter and 6-7" deep. Beautiful wood...and the smallest of the pieces I rescued from the neighbor's fireplace.
I think I'll sharpen and give it another whirl!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

You just told us a clue to your catches. Your blank is almost as deep as it is wide. Hollowing near the bottom will give most turners fits since your tool is no longer supported by the bevel. Sorry, but if you google that term as it relates to wood turning you will get a whole education. To get started only let the depth of your bowl blank be about half the width and the shape will prove more forgiving. Keep a constant curve from rim to bottom as versus straight sides and a quick transition. Get someone to teach you some basics. Just learning to sharpen will be a big help.
faust

[Joe Bradshaw]

Dan, where are you located in NC? There are lots of turning clubs in NC, whose members would be glad to provide some mentoring. Good luck. Joe

[Prashun Patel]

Dan-
While turning green has some joys over dry (no dust and long curlies!!!) it has its challenges.

I also sometimes have trouble turning the insides of green bowls - near the rim, once a hollow is made (that is, when cutting perpendicular to the chuck). I've been able to get better results by turning the speed down and trying a gentle touch. I also have success rotating the flute slightly clockwise to 1-2 o'clock (instead of at 12), and by changing the attack angle of the gouge so toward perpendicular to the rim (as opposed to pointing at the bottom of the bowl). Both of these may require you to also drop the handle a little.

As you gain comfort, these things will become second nature. As you gain touch, these things become less relevant.

[Reed Gray]

I would guess that your flutes on your gouge are pointing more straight up rather than being on their sides. When pointing up, the uphill side tends to catch and the gouge will roll over into the wood. Since your form is rather deep, you can get down the sides with just about any gouge, but for making the transition and going across the bottom, you need a more specialized tool with a 70 degree bevel. I like the fluteless gouges from Doug Thompson. A standard gouge with almost no sweep is good for this as well.

robo hippy