First Ever Bowl

Good start on a new addiction. Wet wood is easier to turn but only time will tell if it is going to warp and crack. I suspect it will.
Most turners of wet wood make a rough out to remove excess wood and to speed up the drying process and reduce the cracking. Then they finish the turning when the wood has dried. You can also use a microwave to speed up the drying process to a few hours instead of weeks. Look up the microwave process on the internet if you are interested, or contact me for information.

-- Les B, Oregon

very good it will be interesting to see how it dries out

-- http://robbipowerwoodturner.blogspot.com/

The other thing you can do to try to prevent cracking is to place the bowl in a paper bag and tape it shut. What you’re trying to accomplish is to slow the drying process. You don’t want to completely halt the process, but just limit to the point that the fibers in the wood can handle the stresses caused by drying without breaking or separating from each other.

Some types of wood will fare better in a plastic bag. And of course everything is subject to your local temperature and humidity conditions. So throw it in a bag, and hope for the best. ;) Good luck!

Nice one for the first bowl!
It looks like you removed the spigot to hold it on for any more turning. Some times when the wood is green and you finish the bowl it warps our of round and gives it character. some warped pieces are beautiful. but, if you want ti to dray out before you finish it so it does not crack or warp, turn it to about 3/4 to 1” uniform wall thickness and then place it in the paper bag or bury it in the chips you just turned from it. This will allow it to dry slowly and hopefully warp but not crack. This could take 6 months or more. Then when you put back in the chuck, you can finish turning it to the final dimensions and it will be much more stable. Leave the spigot/tenon on it so you can grab it by that in the chuck to finish it…..........Jim

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!!

hi nice bowl for your first one hope it dose not crack turning green wood is fun but you have to have passions to wait for it to dry looking forward to seeing your progress with your next 100 turnings have fun
branch

Great start, Keep up the good work. Also you can seal it with anchorseal when you turn green wood and it will stop it from checking too much.

-- In His service ,Richard

Very Nice job keep it up !

-- Pat Brownfield Westland,Michigan

Drying in the microwave involves putting the work in a paper bag to contain some of the moisture that is cooking out. It works like a steam kiln in that the internal moisture cooks out towards the surface and the surface does not dry out and create stress between the inner and outer wood. It needs to be done using a series of heating and cooling cycles until the moisture is gone. With care it can be completed in a couple of hours depending on the thickness of the wood.
As Jim says above, it is a good idea if you are using a chuck to mount it on the lathe to leave a spigot or as I do, a recess, for remounting the wood after it is dry. That way you can true up any warping and complete the details.

-- Les B, Oregon