"dustyone" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,

I've been watching the Del Stubbs video, and it it, he turns green
bowls from firewood to finished bowl in one go. How does one do this
without having cracks, etc? He just puts them on the shelf after he's
done with each of them, and they look fine. I'd appreciate some wisdom
on this subject.


Me too.

Just came up for a glass of tea after turning some cherry that was standing
in the woods day before yesterday. It's differential moisture content that
creates the stress leading to cracks, so if you take the piece to a place
where it can't build up a big differential in drying, normally 3/8 or below
in thickness, it survives. Warps, but survives. If you can live with the
warp, and you know pretty well how it will warp, because you studied The
Wood Handbook available here free
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fp.../fplgtr113.htm , there are
a lot of design possibilities available.

Problem arises in sanding, because wood'll clog even stearated open coat
paper when it's wet. Spin and blow it to get the worst out and it helps,
but expect to start at 220 or thereabouts after it dries. Helps to have a
nice low angle block plane or spokeshave for re-creating a flat enough
bottom to stand on after the wood dries.