I'm no master turner and am stating it here and now.

But for what its worth, from my experience, turning green and and not
stopping to let it dry is a sure way to get unpredictable results if
you arent as smart as some of the guys here.

On all my green work I turn a rough shape that is approx. twice as
thick as the finished shape I want. To be safe make it 3x the final
thickness. Then you just have to put it aside for at least a week, and
let nature work on it until it's dry.

If you have plenty of blanks you can pick up another blank and start
roughing it to keep you occupied while the former is drying. I have a
few rough bowls I never seem to have time to finish.

Those dry blanks will cut ribbons too, if you have your tool sharpened
well and you apply the tool properly. Dry or wet, long curls come from
proper presentation of the tool.

I will admit, it is quite pleasurable to turn the soft green wood. Its
like a hot knife in butter. With a good tool edge you hardly feel any
resistance at all.

Learning to turn dry blanks will also force you to refine and develop
your turning skills, in pursuit of seeing those long curls spill out
from your tool.

cad
handturnedbowls.biz
charlie b wrote:
Still playing with green black walnut (WHAT?!). Am working with
blanks that are half heartwood and half sapwood - half dark and
half almost white. The contrast is quite interesting. But being
a bit impatient (ok - totally lacking in the patience department)
I turn close to the finished thickness and want to see what the
finished piece will sort of look like.

SO - I run through the sandpaper grits - 120 to 320.

BUT - since the wood's still green, some of the dark sawdust gets
on the almost white wood and into it's pores and end grain. The
wood still being "green" that dark sawdust semi-soaks into some
of the white sapwood. Great for finding places that still need
sanding - not so good for keeping the dark/light contrast in tact.

Are "green" turners just a lot more patient than dry wood turners
or are there some methods or means to keep the white wood white
and the dark wood dark - while still green?

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?

charlie b