I posted this on another turning forum, but please would like to hear what anyone here has to say:
I have struggled with my goal to produce lamps, weed pots, and vases to hold a glass insert from green wood. You know what comes up as the obstacle--excess cracking. I take a small green log or branch and turn it rough with either a lamp auger for that or a 3/8 hole for the weed pots or a larger hole slightly smaller than my glass insert. I've tried paper bags, which work well for all of my bowl/hf stuff. But the bulk of the wood left in these other pieces is too much to survive the drying process w/o excessive cracking. Sure, I can get away with some inlay for cracks, but I turn to sell and that trick would not work after a certain number of pieces to produce. I have recently constructed a DNA submersion bath as an experiment, yet to be proven for this application. I would really like to find a way through this because I can make some beautiful pieces with burls and leaving the bark on (NE spindle work) to just jettison the idea. Any of you braintrust woodturners have suggestions (don't bother w/ the microwaving thing--too cumbersome for my production)?
Thanks............Mark
I have struggled with my goal to produce lamps, weed pots, and vases to hold a glass insert from green wood. You know what comes up as the obstacle--excess cracking. I take a small green log or branch and turn it rough with either a lamp auger for that or a 3/8 hole for the weed pots or a larger hole slightly smaller than my glass insert. I've tried paper bags, which work well for all of my bowl/hf stuff. But the bulk of the wood left in these other pieces is too much to survive the drying process w/o excessive cracking. Sure, I can get away with some inlay for cracks, but I turn to sell and that trick would not work after a certain number of pieces to produce. I have recently constructed a DNA submersion bath as an experiment, yet to be proven for this application. I would really like to find a way through this because I can make some beautiful pieces with burls and leaving the bark on (NE spindle work) to just jettison the idea. Any of you braintrust woodturners have suggestions (don't bother w/ the microwaving thing--too cumbersome for my production)?
Thanks............Mark