First green box elder

[Keith E Byrd]

Here is my first green truning. Box elder bowl that is 5 1/2 x 2". This was fun to do - I understand why everyone likes to turn green. I have some work to do to learn the drying process - got a couple of cracks going in it and put CA in them to stop. Bowl is about 1/4 in thick. Appreciate comments and critique. Camera work needs help!

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[Bernie Weishapl]

Nice looking bowl Keith. Looks like you are on your way. Normally when I turn green I turn it thinner than 1/4" but most of the time I turn it to 10% thicks of the diameter. Anything under 10" I leave the bowl at leat 3/4" thick or over 10" I leave 1" thick from top to bottom and coat the whole bowl with anchorseal. It does take longer to dry maybe 6 months to a year but I have almost 70 bowl blanks roughed and drying. I have some that are dry and ready to finish turning. You can use all kinds of drying methods from putting them in a brown grocery sack with shavings, staple it shut or soaking in DNA then wrapping with either a brown paper sack or a couple of layers of newspaper cutting a opening in the bowl part. I use that method when I need something fast as it only takes about 3 weeks or so. I store them on the floor in a cool place with little air flow. You could build a kiln to dry them. There is lots of info on drying if doing a search. Lots of info on lots of different drying methods.

[Scott Hackler]

Nice pleasing shape Keith. Unless one is turning really, really thin and wanting distortion in thier final design.... most turners will turn green, dry and return to the lathe for final finishing (making round again). If you haven't guess yet, she's gonna distort and warp a bit. If you have visible cracks now, its gonna get worse as it drys out. One key thing, whether you want it to distort or are planning on returning it to the lathe after drying.. is to use some method to SLOW down the drying process. Some turners wrap with saran wrap, some with newspaper, some bury the bowls in shavings in a cardboard box, some coat the outside with anchor seal and wait. I use the Dna method (which has just as many people who swear by it as people who dismiss it as voodoo). It works for me but it moght not work in your climate. I dont know.

Either way, ......fun wasn't it?

[Scott Hackler]

lol, leave it to the Kansas boys for dueling answers!

[John Hart]

lol, leave it to the Kansas boys for dueling answers!

I was born in Kansas, so just let me say....drying is just like baseball....you turn a double play to end the inning....then get another chance to bat.



....Well...ok....drying isn't like baseball.

But that's a fine bowl Keith!! I like the bird in your signature.

[John Keeton]

Keith, nice work on the bowl! Hard to tell from the pics, but the cracks may be due, in part, from leaving too much of the pith in the bowl.

[Keith E Byrd]

Scott and Bernie, thanks for the drying tips! While this is green wood it isn't real wet. It has been in my shop for most of 6 months before I knew about anchor seal etc. So when I cut the piece in half it had several checks in it already. Then, after I turned the outside I got busy for a couple of days, left the bowl in the chuck on the lathe and forgot to put a bag over it. So when I saw the new cracks I realized what I had done and used CA to stop it. It was about 11% moisture so unless I am wrong I am hoping that I don't get any more cracks.

[Keith E Byrd]

Keith, nice work on the bowl! Hard to tell from the pics, but the cracks may be due, in part, from leaving too much of the pith in the bowl.

John, by cutting the log in half and hollowing from the inside don't I get rid of the pith? I have a couple of small cracks on the edge and a couple of larger ones coming out of the defect (don't know what else to call it) area. The bowl has a rounded lip but the sides and bottom are about 1/4 inch.

[Baxter Smith]

Nice bowl Keith. Sounds like you have learned a lot about working with green wood with just this one bowl. Good luck on the next one!

[Jim Burr]

Nice lookin' bowl Keith!! BE is really fun to turn wet or dry. I brought 2 blanks of "cut 15 minutes ago" dripping wet BE home last weekend. It's in saran type wrap and still in one piece. Just another thought for unturned blanks

[Keith E Byrd]

Thanks Jim. I wasn't aware that BE grew in the San Joaquin - I spent the first 20 years of my live in that area and was in Fresno about a year ago!

[jwjerry w kowalski]

Keith,

Nice job for a 1st time green bowl, how do you like the smell of the box elder, I usually have to open my doors to let my shop air out after turning it green. I found out even wood from a dead tree has enough moisture that it will still distort, the safest way is to turn thick and let it dry for 6 months to a year, but if you like the distortion turn under a 1/4 inch and finish and let the distortion be part of the design. Usually when you turn thin like that it won't crack.

[Keith E Byrd]

JW, maybe my sniffer is bad but I didn't really notice a BE odor! It seems to be a very easy turning wood. There were a couple of spots that were a little bit punky but I got through them ok. Thanks for the drying/turning tips.

[Donny Lawson]

You said it was about 11% moisture. If thats right you should be OK and probally will not have any big cracks. Usually if it's between 8-12% it's dry enough to finish.