How to you store incomplete pieces?

[Alan Tolchinsky]

That is when working on the lathe and the piece is green? I'm always concerned with cracking and usually put wet chips in a plastic bag and wrap it around the piece on the lathe. What is you technique to keep stuff from cracking on the lathe? I do this with bowls and now with HF.

[Dick Sowa]

Don't store it in plastic bags because moisture can't escape and the wood will likely mold. Turn your bowl so the thickness of the walls and bottom are about 10% the diameter. Do that all in one session at your lathe, and it shouldn't crack in such a short time period.

Once turned, there are a lot of different ways to allow it to dry. I paint the end grain of mine with Anchorseal, put it up on a shelf in my shop, and forget about it for 6 months to a year. By then it is usually dry enough.

[alex carey]

i doubt it'll mold in a day or two, even a few days should be fine. I do the same thing you do Alan, if you were worried about mold and you were leaving it there for quite a while just spray some bleach and it'll be fine.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Sorry, I should have stated I'm doing a hollow form and I'm more concerned with cracking during the 2-3 days I'm working the piece. What do you do when you quit for the day and you're not done? Thanks!

[Richard Madison]

Same here Alan. Mist the outside with water and plastic bag it as snugly as possible. Try not to get water on the lathe ways, of course. With oak, I mist and bag it when stopping for a cup of coffee.

[Ryan Baker]

I do whatever possible to finish the turning in one session, and don't start it if I won't be able to finish it. That said, when it isn't possible to finish all at once, I do the same thing, cover it with a plastic bag and tie it up. Try not to cover up the chuck, as it may rust overnight. Try to get some of the center cored out, or at least bore a hole. The less bulk you leave in the center, the less likely it will crack (warp, yes).

[Bernie Weishapl]

I am also one that won't start a green wood project unless I can finish it. If I am turning after work during the week I will rough out a bowl or two but otherwise it is dry wood turning.

[curtis rosche]

when i was working on hollowforms at school, if they were wet i would coat them with polyurethane at the end of the class. it worked pretty well. the only peice that cracked on me was a peice of walnut that had just been cut down, and i forgot to put it on the end before i mounted it.

[Ted Calver]

I just wrap a plastic bag around the piece on the lathe

[Leo Van Der Loo]

That is when working on the lathe and the piece is green? I'm always concerned with cracking and usually put wet chips in a plastic bag and wrap it around the piece on the lathe. What is you technique to keep stuff from cracking on the lathe? I do this with bowls and now with HF.

Saran wrap, nice and tight, that should do it, however try to not have to leave it in the chuck, I know not always possible :)

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Great ideas guys. Now I have others besides a plastic bag to use. The reason I asked this is for me to do a piece from start to finish in one day takes the fun out of turning. It puts more pressure in it than needs to be. I like to keep it fun and try to do a good job too. Hollowing takes some time to do doesn't it? I want this to stay a fun hobby and not a job. Thanks again!

[neil mackay]

I just wrap a plastic bag around the piece on the lathe


Yep thats all I have ever done and it works fine. Plus its a low tech, low cost method, no brainer you cant go wrong with it.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Alan - green or dry - if I take a break, I will pull a plastic grocery bag over it and loosely wrap it at the chuck. Doesn't have to be air-tight, it just has to slow down the loss of moisture. I once left a HF in the chuck - covered - for 3 days - no problems.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Great ideas guys. Now I have others besides a plastic bag to use. The reason I asked this is for me to do a piece from start to finish in one day takes the fun out of turning. It puts more pressure in it than needs to be. I like to keep it fun and try to do a good job too. Hollowing takes some time to do doesn't it? I want this to stay a fun hobby and not a job. Thanks again!

Alan the reason I said, "don't leave it in the chuck" is that wet woods like Walnut, Oak and Cherry, will make a messy looking chuck for the rust you will get, especially if you enclose the chuck and wood in the bag, also stains the wood, but that part is usually turned away, leaving the chuck outside the bag and only wrap the wood makes for less of a mess,
If I'm turning and have to go for just a little while, I will use a plastic bag, but for overnight or longer, the saran wrap does a better job and it's easier to wrap just the wood right down to the chuck, but I rather take the piece out of the chuck and re-chuck it when I go back to it, HTH

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Thanks Steve and Leo. Yes, I've already experienced the rusting first hand. But I still wrap the chuck in the bag just to make sure I'm making it air tight. Too anal, I have to stop doing that. At least only the jaws rust. :D