"js" wrote in message
...
I posted this at rec.woodworking, and was told I would probably get a
better
answer here.

I am making a small pedestal table, and got a hunk of maple, split,
planed,
squared, and turned the pedestal, ans put three coats of shellac on it.
Now
this wood was pretty much as green as you can get, but I read that stuff
should be turned green. I haven't been doing this for long, and this is
the
first large piece I have ever turned. I figured the coats of shellac would
seal it, and keep it from splitting. Was i correct to assume this?
anything
else I need to know before I go ahead and put this thing together?


Also while I'm at it, should stuff be turned green? and how should it be
treated afterward?

Thanks in advance from a newbie.



My first thought was "horrors" but you are dealing with a spindle and if the
pith (the center of the tree) is not included in your piece you may well get
away with it if it drys fairly slowly. I would however go and coat the ends
so they dry more slowly and see what happens; also, keep it from obvously
hot and dry locations so you don't get rapid surface and end drying.

Good luck with it.

Billh