should hollow forms be allowed to dry prior to finishing

[Curtis Myers]

When turning green wood. Should I allow the bowls and hollow forms to dry prior to final sanding and applying finish?

[Thom Sturgill]

If you turn thin the free moisture will be thrown out. Free moisture is the water between the cells. Turners making hats often have to add moisture with a spray bottle to keep the turning wet enough to be able to shape after turning. If turned thin and let dry while turning, then a finish can be applied to most woods immediately. If left too thick, too much free water may remain and cause problems.

By thin I mean 1/8", and that includes the bottom. Turned that thin, the wood can move freely usually without splitting as it loses the captured water in the cells.

[Jim Seyfried]

Short answer yes. However, it depends on what you turned and what type of finish. On thin NE bowls if you sand to aggressive it could cause the checking especially on the edge. :o Some like to sand HFs and let them deform while drying. I have put Danish oil on green turnings (usually HFs) in attempt to slow down drying to keep it from cracking. Not sure if it is effective though. But, for final sanding and a finished piece I would wait until it is dry. For thin stuff that doesn't take long. I would think that some finishes wouldn't even work correctly if the wood wasn't dry.

[Edward Weingarden]

If I get my hollow forms to 1/8", I still let it sit for a few days or a week before finishing. I can't say that my method has a scientific or experimental basis to it. I usually feel a slight hint of moisture on the pieces, thus my reason for letting them sit for a few days. I will finish sand to 800 grit while still on the lathe since there is no longer so much moisture that will clog the sand paper. When I apply the finish, either wipe on poly or Danish oil, I wipe it on with a piece of 1500 grit wet/dry sand paper. I get a finish more smooth than my finish sanding with 800 grit. My theory is that it has to do with any remaining moisture raising the grain after the final sanding on the lathe. It's what works for me.

[Reed Gray]

I prefer to wait till they are dry before sanding, mostly because it takes less time to sand than it does when the wood still has some water in it. Most penetrating type oil finishes are fine when applied to wood that is not all the way dry, but you can get light colored patches which go away when you apply more oil after all the water is gone. I don't think any spray type finish goes well until the wood is dry.

robo hippy

[john taliaferro]

I agree with the hippy , but timing is different turn outside ,danish oil leave rib for steady to run on ,hollow then plug hole to run tailstock to remove rib .sand and apply more oil every week .

[Dennis Ford]

I almost always sand after the piece dries, the exceptions are pieces that will develop an interesting texture that I want to keep in the finished piece. Burl or very curly wood is an example; if sanded wet it can have a texture like old leather after drying.

[robert baccus]

Most of mine get double turned with wax on the outside to cure--just like vases and most bowls. Very thin and finish can work--maybe.