Turning Green Bowls

[Bob Cook]

I asked a turner at my local woodworking store if I could turn finished green bowls and just let them warp. He told me to take the bowl w/o a finish on it and microwave it. Does anyone have any experience with this method. If so, can you offer any advice? Am I better off just letting them warp, will they split?

I would like to be able to produce finished bowls from green wood rather than rough turning them then going back a few months latter to finish turn them.

Thank you,

Bob

 

[Joe Greiner]

If the wood wants to warp, it will warp. Microwaving will just accelerate it, and maybe re-distribute some of the warping. Except for basket cases, a little warping can increase the mystique.

Allowing, or encouraging, warping may also increase the number of rejects. Selection of blanks without obvious "features" could reduce them.

Just my 2 cents, of course.

 

[MichaelMouse]

The thickness to which most green bowls are turned makes it possible to dry them within a week or two. Microwaving in a day or two. But microwaving has a couple of negatives.

You can develop spots where larger pores collect and bring water from the interior, along with color from heartwood extractives. Some of the spots resist casual sanding.

You can light the thing off without half trying if you have an area of dry wood like an old knot insulated in the interior. You have to be patient and use more cycles at lower power (shorter powered times) to keep this from happening.

Some woods are very fragrant, especially when warmed, so you will want your own dedicated microwave. It'll still warp the piece, but that's the nature of wood.

 

[john lucas]

A bowl turned 1/2" will dry in about 3 or 4 days here in Tennessee. 1/4 will dry almost overnight. You can dry them in the microwave but as MM said it can occasioanlly have a problem. I dry them by heating them 1 minute at a time and letting them cool before the next cycle. It takes off and on all day. For that reason I reserve it for lidded boxes and just let the bowls dry naturally.

 

[John Jordan]

I asked a turner at my local woodworking store if I could turn finished green bowls and just let them warp. He told me to take the bowl w/o a finish on it and microwave it. Does anyone have any experience with this method. If so, can you offer any advice? Am I better off just letting them warp, will they split?

I would like to be able to produce finished bowls from green wood rather than rough turning them then going back a few months latter to finish turn them.

Thank you,

Bob

Have a look at my website, there's an article on using green wood. I've made a living for nearly 25 years turning green wood exclusively.

have fun,

John

 

[fizban]

Ive tried microwaving bowls some and all the times it turned out badly. Mostly with the smoke alarms blaring lol. I usually try and turn the bowls to around 3/16 - 1/4 thickness and then I will put them into a plastic trash bag with a bunch of the shavings. Once a day I open the bag and "stir" around the contents untill dry (usually a week or two for a small to midsized bowl). I have found that the slower drying time that this process produces lessens the cracking and checking. Also I have found that diffrent woods will warp and check diffrently and in varied amounts. Generally any fruit bearing tree seems to warp a lot. I have tured apple and pear from local trees and most of the bowls ended up ovaloid in the end. Personally I like the natural shapes that one ends up with since you never know what will happen.

 

[TBrown]

Denatured Alcohol works better....

I have much success turning green bowl blanks and soaking them in acetone for 24hrs with little to no movement.

I use a plastic 5 gallon bucket with enough acetone to cover the wood plus one inch. Cover and let stand. Depending on the size and thickness I "guess" more or less time. The principle is simple, alcohol evaporates more rapidly (evenly) than water and by replacing the water in the wood with alcohol warping can be reduced.

Also does good job killing bugs!
Enjoy
Toby

 

[Steve Worcester]

DNA or Acetone?

 

[Ken Ferrell]

I have much success turning green bowl blanks and soaking them in acetone for 24hrs with little to no movement.

I use a plastic 5 gallon bucket with enough acetone to cover the wood plus one inch. Cover and let stand. Depending on the size and thickness I "guess" more or less time. The principle is simple, alcohol evaporates more rapidly (evenly) than water and by replacing the water in the wood with alcohol warping can be reduced.

Also does good job killing bugs!
Enjoy
Toby

Doesn't the Acetone eat through your plastic bucket? if not, where did you get the bucket, I'd like to get one