Introduction:

Green wood turning quickly becomes a fact of life for many of us turners.  Kiln dried woods simply aren't available in the thicknesses that we are looking for.  In the few instances when they can be found, they come at a premium price.  That's why we end up "turning" to green wood.  It's less expensive, more readily available and so much easier to turn!  There is, however, one fatal flaw...green wood can behave unpredictably, and most of us have very little experience in properly drying a piece of wood.  So how exactly does one go about turning green wood from a rough product into a finished one?  This is a question that we are constantly asked by our customers, and that's why we've pulled together this information for you to use so as to make you more successful in your turning adventures!

Before you begin work on your project, it is important that you know a few important things about dealing with green wood.  First and foremost, unless you are a professional with experience in drying thick pieces of wood, it is not recommended that you attempt to dry turning/carving blocks thicker than 2" thick.  Careful climate monitoring and control are required for successful drying, and even then, results can be very inconsistent.  On top of this, drying times can be quite lengthy...anywhere from a few months for kiln drying, to several years for air drying.  That being said, what should one do to dry a thick piece of wood?  To begin to answer this question, let's look at the first step in the process...beginning to remove the waste.   

Removing the Waste:

The first step in working with a piece of green wood will be for you to remove the majority of the waste wood from your project.  This will help speed drying times by reducing the thickness of the wood.  

Begin by mounting the blank on the lathe, and turning the outside portion of your bowl, vessel, etc.  Leave a tenon on the bottom of the blank which can be held by a chuck, or level the bottom of the piece off so that it can be turned around and attached to a face plate via double-sided tape or a waste glue block.  

Next, turn the form around on your lathe and begin hollowing the inside.  As you progress, make sure that you leave the piece thicker than the final thickness for the piece.  This will allow the wood to change shape as it dries, and give you enough wood to turn the eventual oval shaped piece back into a round shape.  A good rule of thumb is to never go below 3/4" thick in any area, and to allow approximately 3/4" in thickness for every 10" in diameter.  For example,  a 9" bowl would need be only 3/4" thick, while a 15" bowl would need to be left approximately 1 1/4" thick.  Additionally, make sure to maintain an even thickness throughout the roughed out shape to help reduce the chances of defects popping up during the drying stage, which we will discuss next!

 

Drying the Blank:

Air Drying Method:
The air drying method for drying roughed out blanks is by far the easiest, and is recommended for beginning green wood turners.  You will need nothing more than some brown kraft paper (or a brown paper bag from the grocery store), some tape, and a dry area to store the piece in.  Simply wrap the roughed out blank in two layers of brown kraft paper, tape it shut, and set it aside to dry in a fairly dry area (preferably indoors, where the temperature and humidity remain somewhat constant).  Once this is complete, store the blank for 2-3 months.  For those who are impatient, like me, you can weigh the piece every 3-4 days, record the measurement, and rest assured that once the weight of the piece has stabilized between weighings, it is sufficiently dry and ready to be turned.

Microwave Drying Method:
The microwave drying method is not widely used.  It is a great way to get instant results from a piece of green wood, but does not produce consistent results.  To microwave dry a piece of wood, simply place it in a microwave, and heat it on a medium setting for approximately 45 seconds to 1 minute.  Remove the piece (careful, it'll be hot!), weigh it, and write down the measurement.  Once it has cooled, place it in the microwave again and repeat the above steps.  Continue doing this until the weight of the blank stabilizes.  At this point, the blank has stopped losing moisture into the atmosphere, and is ready to be finished!   

Dishwashing Detergent Drying Method:
The dishwashing detergent drying method is also not widely used.  As with microwave drying, it is a great way to get fast results.  Results are fairly consistent with this method, though...the only drawback being that the finished piece will sometimes contain an oily residue which can be difficult to finish with anything other than an oil and wax finish.  For this method, you will need a large container (large enough to hold your blank totally submerged in dishwashing detergent) and a few gallons of non-perfumed, non-dyed dishwashing detergent (the liquid type used for handwashing dishes).  Simply submerge your roughed out turning in the bucket of detergent, making sure to totally submerge the piece.  If necessary, weigh it down so that it does not float.  Let the piece soak for 24 hours, then remove and let dry for several hours.  At this point, the blank is ready, and if all has gone correctly, the oils in the detergent should have forced the water out of the blank, replacing that moisture with oil through osmosis!

Boiling Method:
The boiling method is one of the best ways to dry blanks, with consistent results second only to those of the alcohol drying method.  Begin by bringing a pot of water large enough to submerge your blank in to a rolling boil.  At this point, place your roughed out blank into the water, and allow the piece to remain in boiling water for one hour per inch of thickness of the piece.  For example, a one inch thick piece would need one hour, and 2 inch thick piece would need two hours, etc.  At this point, carefully remove the piece, and wrap in two layers of brown kraft paper.  Allow the piece to dry for 6-8 weeks.  Again, for those who are impatient, weigh the piece every 3-4 days, record the measurement, and rest assured that once the weight of the piece has stabilized between weighings, it is sufficiently dry and ready to be turned.

Alcohol Drying Method:
The alcohol method is by far the best way to dry blanks, with the most consistent results, and a quick turnaround time.  This method is best to use for highly figured pieces and ones with large knots or pith.  For this you will need to get enough denatured alcohol (available at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc) to completely submerge your blank in.  Place your roughed out blank (completely submerged) in the denatured alcohol, and allow to sit for 24 hours.  Remove the piece, wrap in 2-3 layers of brown kraft paper and allow to dry for 2-3 weeks.  Once again, or those who are impatient, weigh the piece every 3-4 days, record the measurement, and rest assured that once the weight of the piece has stabilized between weighings, it is sufficiently dry and ready to be turned.

Final Steps:

Once the piece is dried, it is ready to be re-mounted on the lathe and turning can be completed.  Personally, we prefer to mount the bowl and work on the inside first, then finish up the outside later.  You will have to try for yourself and determines what works best for you.

Hopefully this information has been helpful to those out there who are trying their hand at green wood turning.  If you have additional questions, feel free to email us!

Regards,

Mike Leigher