I've received a lot of nice logs that I've coated the ends to prevent cracking but am wondering if I shoud cut all into rough bowl shapes now and then let them dry over a period of months before final turning. What is best?
moyo
Neither...
You should cut bowl blanks, then rough turn them now to get the wood down to 1 1/4" thickness or so -- depending on size of the resulting bowl. They will dry much better this way and you can finish turning them when they stop losing weight. You can paper bag them or coat the end grain with sealer or just keep them in a cool place with not too much air movement.
Bill
Moyo, How many is a "lot" of nice logs? Do you have a storage issue? How much time do you spend in the shop?
The answers to these questions would determine weather you leave them as logs, turn blanks or rough turn (as Bill suggested). I get a lot of logs (a lot being sometimes a whole 20' tree or trees) and have plents of room to leave them in log lengths and just coat the ends, they are on boards to keep them off the ground and under plastic cover.
I cut a lot of bowl blank sizes and completely coat them. Living where winters can be rough, these will be my winter supply. I try to rough turn a few bowls; as many as I have time to do. I can't put that much time into roughing everything right off (I'm envious if Bill can!).
If you want finished bowls quicker, then Bill's way is the fastest because green wood turns easier and faster and the bowls dry faster than a solid bowl blank.
Have fun Ruth
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another perspective on this.
If you cut the logs to blanks and then wet turn them, you will only ever have bowls.
If you mill it into planks, or squares of various sizes, you leave yourself the option of using it for things other than bowls.
I generall mill logs to 2" 4" or 6" thick, or squares as big as I can get.
It takes longer to dry, but allows you flexibility.
Nothing worse than someone wanting a 12 " bowl with 3 " lift and you don't have a wet turned bowl like that. Pull out a 4" thick [plank, cut your blank and away you go.
Horses for courses I guess, what suits one doesn't suit us all
Rex added: "If you mill it into planks, or squares of various sizes, you leave yourself the option of using it for things other than bowls."
**************************** Excellent point. : ) In my "blank" pile are pieces of all sizes and shapes to be turned into anything from bowls to vases to bottle stoppers to platters. When I cut one piece, say in half, I tape or tie them together just in case they'd look nice as a bowl with a lid (not a box but rather "covered dish" style).Ruth
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