Green Bowls

[Dave Fritz]

I'm making some natural edge European birch bowls. The wood is very wet and green. I'm turning to the final form right away but have some questions about sanding and finishing. Do you do that wet or do you let the bowl dry some before final hand sanding and finishing?

Thanks,

Dave Fritz

[Barry McFadden]

Dave....I have done quite a few wet bowls...I turn from rough to final shape all in one session then I put the bowl in the microwave oven at 40% for 3 or 4 minutes then let it cool a bit ...then put it in for the same time again. You will notice a big difference in the weight by then and you have to decide if you want to put it in the microwave again or if you have taken enough moisture out (good idea to weigh it before and after). The bowl will warp but I never had one crack. The warping gives it character in my opinion. When I'm satisfied I have removed all the moisture I want I final sand and then finish it. After the microwave treatment there is no rush to sand and finish...you can do that whenever you want.

[Dave Fritz]

Thank you Barry - so you hand sand off the lathe I take it?

Dave

[Doug Ladendorf]

I'd suggest sanding on the lathe, then letting it dry for a couple weeks - months depending on thickness in a paper bag (or just microwave like Barry). Once it's dry do a final light sand and finish.

Doug

[Reed Gray]

I don't do too many natural edged bowls, but every thing I turn is green turned to final thickness. Any method that involves forced drying takes up extra time where if you leave it alone, it dries fine all by itself. Bowls from about 3/8 inch thick on down are dry in 10 to 14 days. Keeping it from cracking can be an issue, and wrapping the rim with stretch plastic film is a bit of a problem here, especially if you are able to keep the bark on. In that case, you may want to microwave it, or wet sand and finish. I always power sand, even on natural edge bowls. The key is to keep the drill moving at a very slow speed, and stop as you get to the edge. Always run the pad parallel to the edge, and not in a line off of it. This keeps you from digging in and leaving a very thin spot on the rim.

robo hippy

[Bob Bergstrom]

I been turning some wet natural edge bowls lately. First I try to select blanks with the growth rings are centered so drying will be more uniform. I completely turn the bowl to a thin 3/8". I let it air dry for about ten days. I power sand it mounted on a vacuum chuck but without the lathe rotating. I rotate the bowl with my free hand while holding the close quarter drill in the other. Obviously the bowl cannot be too warped or the vacuum seal won't hold. I do have 3 sizes of chucks to use depending on the depth of the bowl. I leave enough recess under the foot of the bowl to sand the flat so the bowl will sit flat on a table. image.jpg

[Dave Fritz]

This has been really helpful, thank you all. I do have a question about wet sanding. Do you use a wet sandpaper and keep things moist or do you use your regular sandpaper. If the regular doesn't it clog up quite a bit?

Thanks for the tip about holding with a vacuum chuck. I wondered how I would hold the piece after it warped some.

Dave Fritz

[Bob Bergstrom]

Here's on finished. The outside of the bark was super glued when the outside was turned, then the inisde surface of the bark was glued when the inside of the rim was cut. I also monitored the rim as it dries. If it begins to separate, I use sanding dust and super glue to fill the separation. Here is a finished bowl in maple. It's about 9" in diameter.

image.jpgimage.jpg

[Dave Fritz]

That's a beauty for sure. Looks like you've got the system down. What did you finish it with?
Dave Fritz

[Barry McFadden]

Thank you Barry - so you hand sand off the lathe I take it?

Dave

Dave ... I usually sand at slow speed on the lathe and it seems to work well

Although these are not natural edge bowls they show the warping I was talking about... but no cracks...

CAM00233.jpgCAM00234.jpg

[Bob Bergstrom]

That's a beauty for sure. Looks like you've got the system down. What did you finish it with?
Dave Fritz

I apply two coats of Formby's tung oil, let it dry and buff it with #0000 steel wool. Use compressed air to blow off any steel wool fragments and then spray two coats of Mohawk rattle can lacquer.

[Reed Gray]

At about 4:45 in this clip, I show an arm rest I made for when I am sanding. Having this really helps if you are holding the drill with one hand and spinning the bowl blank with the other. Mostly you take all of the weight off the hand that is holding the drill. I need to find a 3 inch diameter lazy susan type of bearing so it floats more freely. Really, really handy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o84c5e73YMM

robo hippy