Tear out on green Walnut

I have had the exact same problem with green walnut. There are a number of ways to deal with it.

First, you said:

That would be the endgrain portion, which is normally where you'll experience tearout.

Several, of varying degrees of effectiveness.

Ah, well there might be one of the problems. If you can't say, with conviction, "My tools are _sharp_ ," then there's a chance that they may be part of the problem. _Sharp_ tools should be able to easily shave the hairs on the back of your kid's arm. (YOU don't want bald forearms, do you?? ;*) ) I find that no matter how nice a grind I think I have gotten on a tool, I can always do much better, edgewise, when I finish off with a couple of different grits of diamond hone. Your equipment may vary, but I like diamond hones because they last longer than regular stones and they are handy.

However, no matter how sharp your tools, you can still get tearout. I've had my gouges literally shaving sharp and still gotten tearout on green walnut.

This is entirely subjective, and your technique may very well be superior to mine, so I won't comment on that aspect at all.

I found that sanding would remove the tearout I had, but that particles of the heartwood migrated into the sapwood, giving me a brown "streak" around the bowl, which is not attractive at all.

It's because the sapwood is a different density than the heartwood, for one thing, and you're probably getting some imperceptible "bounce" when you go from the heartwood to the sapwood, as the piece is spinning.

In spite of your sharp tools and good technique, you might be taking too aggressive a cut on your final pass. When you get ready for the last pass, stop, touch up your gouge or scraper so it is as sharp as you can get it, then take the lightest cut it is possible for you to take. You want to just have wispy little shavings coming off, which should be taking off the high spots between any torn out areas you might have.

Several things you might try before you actually make that last pass, too:

++Apply a coat of paste wax, like Johnson's, or Butcher's, let it dry for a few minutes, and then give it a go. ++Apply a coat of sanding sealer, either straight, or cut 50% with turpentine, and buffed until it is dry. ++Apply thin CA (Super/Crazy) glue and let that dry.

The point of all of these methods is to stiffen the fibers so they will stand up to be cut. Kind of like William's 'Lectric Shave for wood.

You may also have varying degrees of success using these methods in combination with sanding. As I said, though, using anything that makes the fibers wet, like oil sanding or sanding with paste wax, has allowed particles of the heartwood to migrate into the sapwood. I have a bowl I'm still trying to sand that out of.

Hope some of this is of some help. Let us know how you make out.

-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

One other thing I forgot. Unless you are already using them, switch to a carbon steel gouge, rather than HSS or powdered metal tool. Carbon steel will take a much finer, sharper edge than the hard, but more brittle steels.

-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget