Did I mess up doing this...........?

[Roger Chandler]

Hi folks,

I went out to my freezing shop :eek: this afternoon and started a hollow form out of Osage Orange. This is my first ever time turning Osage Orange, so that leads me to the question.

I got this piece of wood from a fellow creeker and member of our local club, Dale Winburn, [thanks Dale!] and it is green, and has been outside in the freezing weather for the last month.

I got most of the outside shape done, and began some hollowing......drilled a 1/2" hole in the center, then hollowed about 1/3rd the way down, but not all the way to final thickness, as I have some final touch up on the outside, and more hollowing.

My feet got so cold, :eek: that I had to call it an afternoon. Also, some work to do as well. So I wrapped the form on the lathe with a plastic grocery bag, and taped it with blue painters tape to hold moisture in until a few days for when I hope to get back at it.

Do you think this will be the poster child for a cracked form? Do I need to do something different in order to save it? Having never turned OO, then I was not sure what I ought to do, so any good advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

[Tim Thiebaut]

I bagged some OO turned just a few weeks ago just like this, however I took it off the lathe but that shouldnt figure into this, and it was just fine bagged until I went back to it a week later so I would think it should be fine. The only thing that I have no clue about is that it is in a freezeing environment, I dont know what that will do if anything.

[David E Keller]

I think you did the right thing. Coating it with Anchor seal inside and out would probably help some too. My only concern would be if your chuck is in the bag with the wood... I've had some light rusting on my chucks with green wood turning, and bagging it might make that worse.

BTW, you do realize that Osage is hard enough... You don't have to freeze it first!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Roger - when I have to leave my turnings on the lathe - I ALWAYS wrap with a plastic bag to prevent any moisture loss! You shouldn't have any problems with it! If your chuck jaws rust up slightly - once the turning has been removed, close the jaws on your chuck and turn your lathe up to a few 100 rpms and then touch the rusted area with a scotch brite scrub pad. Works great - then just throw some wax on the jaws and you are good to go!

[Roger Chandler]

Roger - when I have to leave my turnings on the lathe - I ALWAYS wrap with a plastic bag to prevent any moisture loss! You shouldn't have any problems with it! If your chuck jaws rust up slightly - once the turning has been removed, close the jaws on your chuck and turn your lathe up to a few 100 rpms and then touch the rusted area with a scotch brite scrub pad. Works great - then just throw some wax on the jaws and you are good to go!

Thanks Steve, Tim and David as well! I was hoping I did not mess up, but sounds like it might be okay.

[David DeCristoforo]

I have done this with several pieces so far. A couple were so green that I wrapped them in a damp cloth and the plastic to keep them from cracking until I could get them into the DNA.

[Roger Chandler]

I have done this with several pieces so far. A couple were so green that I wrapped them in a damp cloth and the plastic to keep them from cracking until I could get them into the DNA.

Thanks, David............I am hoping it will make it uncracked until I can get it rough turned and hollowed, then I am going to try my first DNA soak.

[Michael James]

I dont see no hollow form... what hollow form?

Seriously, +1 on the chuck. I will never bag a chuck with wet wood on it again (for a week no less). Dang new chuck looks older'n me!

[Steve Bistritz]

The jaws will rust up, this time of year the wood will be fine for quite awhile! Have fun!