"charlie b" wrote in message
...
Green wood is more fun to turn than dry wood. You can cut
continuous ribbons of wood by the yards. And tools don't seem
to dull near as quick as when turning dry wood. On the other hand,
there's that patience thing as well as the "I have only a vague notion
of what shape this thing will end up with when it finally dries" thing.

Ideas? Suggestions? Caveats? Comments?


You'll have to accept what develops or leave yourself an option to re-turn
for circular. If you've cut it thin, say 3/8 or less, you won't have to
wait more than a week or so to finish. If you cut it thicker, say an inch,
you'll have to wait perhaps two months, at which point you'll be turning dry
wood again, so the fun of green is only half the fun.

You've already noticed that sapwood dyes with heartwood extractives. Same-o
cherry and similar. If you want to keep the sapwood bright, get into the
log early. Otherwise some of that heart color will percolate through. You
will want to protect the bright wood from mildew and the discoloration that
can bring, too. Friend of mine turned me on to compressed air. Even on a
piece you've been spinning for fifteen minutes at 700 there's a lot of free
water available, and the air will bring it out. Inside to outside, since
the inside is under compression as a cross-grain piece dries. Keeps the
wood a couple days shorter in the mildew-making window. Keep your piece in
the open until visible moisture is gone from the end grain. If you bag it
right away, you risk black spots.

Now that you're dry and re-turned or just dry and sanded, don't lose the
bright white you worked to preserve by lathering oil on it.