Turning Green Wood
Have Fun Making Ribbons!

The advantages of turning green wood are that it’s easier, less dust is created, its cooler on your tools (meaning less sharpening) and just plain fun. On Norfolk Island pine, I can easily remove a ribbon 20 feet long instead of turning out wood chips.

When you receive your wood turning bowl blank, you can rough turn your item to speed the drying process. I use the 10% rule for wall thickness, but always leave it at least 3/4” thick. For example, when I am turning a 10 inch bowl, I will leave it one inch thick. A 20 inch bowl will be 2 inches thick.

Mount the blank to your lathe between centers using a proper size spur drive in relation to blank size. Turn the outside of your item to its basic shape making a tendon for a chuck at this time. Remove the item from your lathe and remove the spur drive. Turn item around and remount using your preferred method. I use “Oneway” brand Strong Hold Chuck. I would then true the outside shape before hollowing the inside in case of change from spur drive set up to chuck set up. Begin hollowing out the center using the 10% rule of wall thickness. The inside should be of uniform thickness following outside shape to minimize checking and excessive stress during drying of your green wood bowls. Even wall thickness will encourage even drying and limit warping.

If using a faceplate instead of a spur drive, you can turn the outside to your basic shape and then begin hollowing following the above directions.

When the hollowing is finished, use your preferred method of drying. The easiest way is to put the bowl in a closed paper bag or wrap it with brown Kraft paper sold by the roll. A cold wax emulsion sealer can be painted on the exterior. Allow to dry in the open air.

Keep a log of the weight of your drying wood. Weigh your piece once or twice a week and record the weight in your log. After weighing your rough turned blank and finding no change in weight for three times, the moisture level has stabilized.

When the rough turned bowls have dried sufficiently, remount on your lathe to complete the final turning, sanding and finishing.

Try turning green wood and see if you enjoy it as much as I do!

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