When wood turning, why is my wood checking?

Have you tried adding a bowl scraper to your turning tool arsenal? For me, the scraper is very effective for removing wood and leaving less to sand- but I still have to sand!

Also, I have read about lightly spritzing the wood surface with water. It is supposed to raise the end grain to allow more effective cutting. Although, I admit I haven’t tried it.

-- Lew- Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

Where do I start, spritzing the wood is a good way of getting rid of the small surface cracks, I sharpen my gouge once right before I am finished, I do one final cut and I am done. As for the wobble you speak of make sure that the shoulder on your tenon is fitting inside the chuck properly, if its to big or to small it will not fit and will want to walk out of the chuck.

-- Roper - Master of sawdust-www.coloradocustomworks.com

BassBully

It sounds like you may have two problems.
I would suspect you are getting tear-out that would explain the pitting. Usually that is a technique issue. Use of a bowl gouge is not an easy skill to master, but when you do you become a great fan of the bowl gouge. A properly cut bowl bottom will need very little sanding. As for the bowl scraper, remember it is just a finishing tool. If you dig deep with a scraper you will also get tear-out.
The cracking could be from the heat build-up during the sanding process. Also, never try to sand-out the tear-out (pitting) that just creates more heat and more cracking. You will grow old trying to sand out the tear-out.
I would suggest you look for someone to work with you. It looks like you are near Des Moines, Iowa this link can help you find the woodturning club in Des Moines. http://www.woodturner.org/community/chapters/LocalChapters.asp#75

A club is a great place to improve your woodturning skills.

-- Bob Clark, Tool Collector and Sawdust Maker

Thanks guys. I’ll give those things a try.

-- There are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't!