Finish Turning Plum Wood Bowl From Green Wood
It’s long past time to finish this woodturning project. This piece of plum came originally from a tree in my back yard. Several years ago, I rough turned it, painted it with a wax emulsion, placed it in a brown paper bag and left it on my shelf.
During the drying process, it shrunk radically and almost randomly. It also opened a crack clear through the bottom and widened a rot or bark inclusion area.
The mounting tenon is definitely oblong. The difference in length versus width in the tenon was a full 1/2 inch.
The average of the difference falls into a no man’s zone in the capacity of my chuck. Too small for one set of jaws; too large for another set of jaws.
I repaired the crack with plum sawdust from the bowl itself stabilized with CA glue. The bark inclusion or rot was also stabilized with CA glue.
Although the intended lip on the bowl did not survive, I am pleased with the result.
I really enjoyed this vid. I ahve a small peace of peach (about 5″ dia.). I thought the plum wood might be close to the apperance of my peach. Letting it dry a little while I decide what to turn out of it. Thanks for such great videosand instructions.
If your peach is similar to the plum, it will get a lot harder when it has dried. You may want to consider rough turning it now. Two benefits: easier to turn; will dry faster. The downside, you do need to leave it thicker if you intend to remount it to allow for warping.
The other downside is that you have to make a decision now rather than later. 🙂
Thanks for your comment.
Thanks for posting the video! I’m wondering how you finished the wood at the end. Just a coat of polyurethane? I’ve come across a nice piece of already dry plum wood, and I’m not sure if I need to do any staining, or just clear coat it.
On mine, I used walnut oil. I generally do not use a stain and only use polyurethane in rare instances.
My bottom line — I generally like the natural colors of wood.
Alan
Thanks .. LUIS