Part 2 of the walnut

[JohnHewes]

I am fairly new to wood turning, and seeing these posts I wonder whether you experienced guys can help, please?
My biggest problem is that I want to make big bowls, and I get offered some nice logs, but they invariably split in storage. I have tried leaving them long and cutting off the ends, coating the ends with PVA glue, rough turning, different places to store them and wrapping in garden fleece.
I store them in my garage, would they be better outside?
What works for you?
Cheers
John

[bodrighywood]

It depends a lot on the wood as different woods are going to behave differently. If you can then split the wood down the centre as that releases a lot of the tension.

Pete

[John Plater]

Alternatively turn the wood green and then season the bowl.
ATB John

[seventhdevil]

you need to find a place that is not too dry to start with.

always rough turn and seal the endgrain as more will survive.


where are you john hewes?

[JohnHewes]

'Thanks, gents.

Do you think the garage is too dry and I’d be better keeping it outside? I have a big overhang on the garage eaves and thought about a long rack just under the eaves, where it would be out of the rain.

My best results have been rough turning first, and I have tried making very thin platters and dishes, but there is always too much distortion then to make them useable, or attractive.

I am in Northants, NN14 3ED.

Regards
John

[Derek]

I store mine undercover with good ventilation and also store it in stick. I do cut mine into rounds and seal the perimeter I have lost some but that can be down to me rather than the wood in some cases because when I started I cut straight through the centre of the log now I cut either side which is a good thing as I also get some spindle blanks from the centre after trimming. this is my store before the walnut, beech and yew from this post. And as you can see getting rather tight for space I also have another shed full of wood some turning blanks as well as kiln dried planked wood.

[JohnHewes]

Thanks for that info Derek and the photos, is that an open fronted lean to?
I don’t have that quantity but I will try your method next time.
With this weather, that could be tomorrow!
Regards
John

[Derek]

Thanks for that info Derek and the photos, is that an open fronted lean to?

Regards
John

It was an old aviary which I turned into a shed but left some gaps around the bottom either end to allow air flow into the shed. Even doing it this way expect some failures some of which can just be down to the type of wood or the way you have cut it. I do have another shed which has some of the dryer blanks in and also some rough turned blanks.

[seventhdevil]

be careful not to have too much airflow as that can dry the wood too quickly as well. you want just enough to stop the mold growing but no more.

i suggest you get yourself some hygrometers to measure the humidity of the air in the location you are storing stuff.