Hollow form question

Ron Journeau

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Location
Les Coteaux,Quebec
I am finally starting to gaze way up the learning curve towards doing a HF, and have a question about roughing out....do you do a DNA soak and wait like bowls and such, or do you do it all at once?:doh:
 
Ron, nearly all the ones I've done so far were rough cut green and soaked in DNA, then re-turned when dry. I've also done a few green ones to finished dimensions, DNA'ed them, and let then warp however they wanted. Mine warped a lot, but I've seen others that didn't move much at all. I've still not done a hollow form from completely dry wood (dunno that I'd want to, either). ;)
 
Ron I hollow my HF's from start to finish and use green wood. If you get you one of the laser captured rigs you can get them down to 1/8" to 3/16" thick walls. I will pour some Antique Oil on the inside and roll it around till it quits soaking it in and most times it has soaked all the way thru. I then coat the outside till it is saturated. Let sit 10 minutes and wipe off the excess. Let it dry several days and buff. I have very seldom had one move. They might a little but it is not much. I do this on all my HF's and have not had a problem with movement or cracks. I don't know if it is the oil finish or what but it has worked great for me. I have never DNA'd a HF yet.
 
Done the Green Hollow form and the Dry Hollow form. although you can remove more wood at a faster rate and with less skill. I prefer the dryed wood. I like to start a project and finish it all in the same session (session may be over several days but without the long curing period of DNA soak or the dreaded soap soak, or the silly wet chip and paper bag approach.)

If I have my druthers I would do Dry wood turning only but if I am to wet turn I will do the DNA.

There are many detail advantages to dry wood turning, Wood is more stable and less likely to "blow out" than with wet wood.
 
Bernie, what types of wood have you turned wet to finished size? I'd like to try it, but I'm pretty sure most of the wood I have on hand would move too much, even with thin walls.
 
Bernie, what types of wood have you turned wet to finished size? I'd like to try it, but I'm pretty sure most of the wood I have on hand would move too much, even with thin walls.

Vaughn I have turned Hickory, Elm, Box Elder, Walnut, and Ash. I really haven't had much trouble with movement. The box elder moved the most but not that much. The Sassafras moved or I should say cracked some on me but nothing a little epoxy and sawdust couldn't fix. Now some Apple I had did move quite a bit so I don't turn much of that.
 
I turn them all the way to finished from soaking wet, and let them warp. Under 1/4", they will usually not crack (as in very rarely crack). They do move, but wood always moves. Highly figured wood wrinkles, and a lot of people like that.

Having written that however, I am contemplating a series done using the process of rough, dry, and finish to maintain some stability in the finished piece. But I will say more about that when it actually happens.

Bill
 
bernie, saw your post on turning wet woods to finish including elm. i have a piece of wet elm on the lathe right now...my first....and it is cutting very fuzzy/stringy. can't imagine trying to turn it to a good surface finish this way. it's called red elm so that may make a difference. i was planning on roughing it to 1" walls and drying in the conventional manner before finishing. but it's my first piece of elm and don't know what to expect.
 
Ron,

I've done them all three ways:
=> wet start to finish
=>Rough, dry and finish turn
=> dry wood start to finish

I prefer the dry wood start to finish but source of big chunks of dry wood are few and far between. I was lucky enough to purchase several walnut 'beams' (and a couple of cherry) for lack of a better description that were cut back in the 70's, sealed and stored indoors. Wonderful wood to work with.

I think Clark hit the determining issue for me. If the wood is not cutting well green, I'll use either DNA or the old fashion wait a year drying method.

Frank
 
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