A pair of candle holders.

It’s fun to turn green wood. You better enter some images of your new shop.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

I’ll do that. I really enjoy my new shop!

-- Jesus is Lord!

Turning green wood is always fun – if you are wearing a raincoat.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hillsbiblechurch.org/

I haven’t ever seen a Rigid lathe before. You might consider writing up a Tool Review in the Forum. Congrats on your new shop. Nice candle holders, I hope they dry without cracks for you!

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

Mark, I will consider your invitation of doing a review in the forum, thanks. The candle holders dried well, no cracks. I soaked them in dishwashing liquid and water for two months, then dumped the water out and kept the candle holders enclosed in the rubbermade container for another couple of weeks before allowing them to finish air drying. This method has worked well for me. The paper bag with fresh wood chips didn’t. I appreciate all the comments and those who took the time to look.

-- Jesus is Lord!

Thanks for method of drying… I’ll have to give it a shot. I’ve had reasonable, but not complete success with the Boiling method. The bag method (sans chips) caused a nice fuzzy layer of mold on a pair of green turnings in my early attempts. Everything was practice at that time anyway, so most things were just left to split.

I saw something on PBS where a local spoon carver leaves his wood underwater in trashcans for at least a year prior to use. Then the finished products have a warm/hot? bath in a commerical fryer. No cracks that way… wish I caught the details on that method. (and had a spare fryolater kicking around!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Van Gogh -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

The soaking of the pieces will cause a discoloration on the pieces, but since you don’t turn the item to its final specs until after it has dried, it isn’t a problem. This method is not for those who are in a hurry to complete their turnings, as you can see. I believe the boiling method and using a microwave to dry out one’s wood are designed for those of us who are in a hurry. I haven’t tried either since I don’t mind turning a lot of different projects and coming back to them later for the finishing touches. If you search the web wood turning sites I think you can find the method fully described. I can’t remember where I first saw it, but I’m glad it was shared, too. Good turning to you and your turnings.

-- Jesus is Lord!

That sounds interesting. I’m gonna have to give it a try, drying-wise. I’ve always turned dried wood. Nice sticks!

-- Chuck, Pullman, WA