Help, with Green Wood.

[Skip Sloan]

I am attempting to turn some chess pieces out of fresh cut cherry and walnut but I am at a loss when it comes to finishing them so they do not crack?

Thanks for your help.

[David Wilhelm]

Skip I turned my set out of maple and walnut. Not sure how wild you are going with your pieces but this is what I did. My Tree had been cut a while several months. I ripped the block with the chain saw then went to the table saw. Ripped lengths 2" sq. I microwaved these to dry them out. I turned all my pawns together and parted them off keeping them the same size then my biships, rooks etc. I hand carved my knight. If I were doing it again I would do my king, queen and rooks in the chuck.