wet wood bowls

[OldWood]

I've been given some almond wood and because it was in short lengths - cut for wood burning - I've split the lengths I reckoned were worth having and rough shaped them to bowl blanks.

I turned one today to a wall thickness of about 15mm and wondered quite where I went from there.

Can I have some guidance please.

Rob

 

[hughey]

OK I have turned a fair amount of green blanks. I rough them out with a wall thickness of about 10% of the dia ie 10" bowl 1" wall thickness. This allows for warpage, ovality etc and gives you some room to move when finishing time comes.
Depending on how stable the blanks is, I generally then put the rough outs in a cardboard box and close up the lid. If they are really reactive and likely to move pack them up with the chips you have turned off them as you roughed then out.Store in a cool place out of the sun etc,

I check them on a regular basis for cracks [ say weekly ] , as the cracks appear I fill them with superglue.Drying time, well it depends on the blank and how wet it is, on average for me 3-6months. Some may take a a year or more, so the best way is to build up a stock of rough outs drying. I probably have at any time 30-40 at different stages of drying. This helps to stop the urge to turn them too soon and any way you can get on with some dry blanks in the mean time

 

[CHJ]

I wrap the exterior in stiff brown paper or several layers of newspaper.

Then find somewhere to stow them inverted on racks or sticks to allow some air movement for two to three weeks, I start checking moisture and weight after about 18 days when they are usually below 12% and if they show no loss during the next 3-4 days I take wrapping off.

Other people use cling film on the outside but I suspect that would be slower drying although may be less risk of splitting.

 

[Leo]

IMHO.

If you have already turned one to 15 mm. ( a tad too thin, for the 10% ?? unless it is 150mm wide of course ), I would try to turn it to as thin as you dare to and finish it as far as possible, ( sanding sealer or very thinned wood glue will help with sanding, apply a little, wait 1/2 hour and sand ) turn it upside down on the floor ( tiled or concrete, not on your Carpet or you'll be in trouble (hammer) and hope for the best #-o , should dry in a day or two, put it to your cheek ( face :lol: ), if cold, it's still wet, but keep checking it and as mentioned superglue when and were needed.

BTW. you could get a thousand different answers to this, due to location, humidity etc.... I live in the heat, so my methods may differ a lot.....!!!!!! trial and error !! :shock:

Good luck. !!!

 

[chrisbaker42]

Depending on the size of the bowl, I have had good results in the last few days using various methods in the microwave. The different ways I have tried are all wrapping in kitchen roll and then using defrost or 10% for 2 mins then stand for 15 mins and repeat several times or the same procedure but 30% or 50%. I don't know if it was the wood I was using or maybe just lucky but all methods worked for me with no splits.