Richard Raffan hollows, sands, and microwaves a green-turned casuarina bowl.

[@darrylcrum2495]

They are beautiful, Richard. I have never turned anything in wood, but next year is when I begin this hobby. I am grateful I have artists like you to follow.

[@Sealight007]

I turned a lot of green bowls back in the day and used the microwave. Some of the most incredible and interesting bowls were made from very old California pepper trees. Always fun to watch you work and I always learn something new--or something I forgot...

[@NativeEarthlingAI]

Richard is a treasure

[@marshalmallow1844]

Found your channel recently and it's been giving me ideas for when we finally have a new lathe in the community workshop I help run. The way you describe things is amazing, and I'm learning a lot just from watching you. Keep up the good work!

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

You'll find a lot more information on setting up lathes and gettign started as well as turning techniques in my books, particularly Turning Wood with Richard Raffan and The Complete Illustrated Guide to Turning. www.richardraffan.com.au/books-and-dvds/

[@isaacfisher5615]

Nice wood, beautiful work, another great video. Thanks!

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

And many thanks to you.

[@terrytenley9404]

As a fan and reader of Richard’s books for years it’s fun as always to see him turning.. His insights have influenced me for years.. So once again Richard is doing something unusual.. Green wood to finished bowl in one day.. ha!👍

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

And I've been turning rounded wobble bowls like this for about 44 years...

[@terrytenley9327]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning yep I guess I always liked the big green bowls that went to the attic and dried out.. Then returned to be turned again and given away to old friends.. I been turning for 55 years and always liked round bowls.. I have turned over 1100 bowls and some were inspired by you.. thanks..I

[@malbun3275]

Hi Richard Thanks for the excellent video on turning and also the microwave segment. Years ago I finished turning a wet bowl after a long day at work,after dinner,got the three kids in bed read them a story each,then started turning the bowl.I decided to microwave it (bad idea doing it late a night)I started giving it short bursts letting it cool down before doing it again. Around midnight I set it going again ,and must have dropped of to sleep .the fire alarm woke me and there was lots of smoke coming from the microwave and a smouldering bowl,I must have set it for two hours not two minutes.the bowl was thrown outside then all the windows flung open.there’s a lesson in this. Short bursts ,don’t bake your bowls. Thanks,your videos are like opening Xmas presents exciting and full of good things Regards from NZ

[@Festus171]

Gosh, I learn so much watching your videos! Thanks again for another excellent lesson!

[@ShevillMathers]

Really shows the way the gouge cuts the wood, exactly what we want to see. Another excellent demonstration including the microwave technique. Thank you for sharing your skills once again. Greetings from Tasmania Australia 👍😁🇦🇺🦘

[@johnnyb95678]

Richard, thank you for the excellent explanation and the tips and tricks. I always learn something from your videos.

[@glencrandall7051]

Great demo Richard. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

[@jayscott306]

That was well explained. As much as there is a bit of nature doing what it wants, thanks for explaining well how to set ourselves up to get the most out of our timber.

[@raydriver7300]

That’s different and I like different. As always, thank you for sharing 🌞

[@valeriehenschel1590]

For sanding green/wet bowls, I use Abranet from Mira. As it loads up, you can just flex the net disk and the wet fibers pop right off, then you can keep using the disk for quite awhile. I have to cut my own 2-3” disks, but I also use the small sheets and the 5” disks.

[@STMwoodturning]

It's interesting to see how wood moves as it dries.

[@jackthompson5092]

Beautiful bowl Richard. That bowl sure did warp but it adds a lot of interest.

[@jakegevorgian]

I love both!❤

[@garyblankenship104]

after several trips in microwave I presume some grain is raised. Do u then repeat all sanding steps before oiling...any shortcuts to the irregular sanding?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I've never found raised grain an issue. At most the microwaved bowls might get a quick rub with a Scorchbrite pad. With the casuarinas and oaks where there is a lot of movement and the medullary rays stand proud of the surface which is the sort of texture I'm after. If you want a smooth flat surface you can put a bowl back in the chuck and power sand, rotating the bowl by hand. You can microwave first, then sand. Bowls and pots that are to get a faux rust of verdigris finish don't get sanded at all.

[@MASI_forging]

What an awesome design.👏👏

[@darrylcrum2495]

Richard, while I have your attention, do you know of any poster that shows the different tools and what they are used for? I would like one for my work area to refer to as I learn. Thank you for your reply.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I don't know of any poster showing tools. This is my video on tools groups which might help. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHLCXqZ_i9CrgtE

[@darrylcrum2495]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning Thank you. I just watched it. It is helpful but it is going to take some time for me to use them and understand each tool's strength.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@darrylcrum2495 It pays to waste a few blanks, makng shavings rather than a bowl or whatever. A mallet is a good starter project between centres that allows you to make shavings and end up with a useful tool. Bowl blanks I'd just waste a few.

[@williamhector6863]

I see in your video some of your garage are Grind more at one side, then the other Does this make it easier to cut into the wood or is there another reason please

[@dtork47]

Nicely done. Wondering how impossible the thickness of the foot is in relation to the warp/ cracking concern. Thanks as always Richard.

[@warpo007]

Microwaved!! can't wait to see this....

[@josephpotterf9459]

Thanks turned out great

[@terrysharp908]

Excellent, thanks

[@LewisKauffman]

Thank you!

[@boooshes]

For this sanding operation, I often use a spray bottle and just sand wet up to 240 or 320. The water flows away all the "dust" and keeps the disc cutting. Then dry and a quick 320 will finish the job. Just another approach.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I did that for a whole decades ago and can't remember why I reverted to dry sanding. I must give it another go. For a while I sanded dry wood with oil. Unclogging the abrasive became tedious but there wasn't any dust so I might try that again too. Many thanks for your input.

[@boooshes]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning I often now use the Mirka Abranet for wet sanding (water on green wood or oil on dry wood). Since it is an open fabric, it clears easily with compressed air and holds up well when wet . It will often clear by just pulling it off the backing pad. The big drawback in my opinion is just the mess, but strategically placed cardboard or rags can help a lot. And no dust!

[@boooshes]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning I have also been meaning to thank you for taking the time to share your talents, experience, and ideas with us - it means a lot and is greatly appreciated.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@boooshes Thank you. I'm glad to be of some help.

[@jorisdemoel3821]

Two lovely bowls indeed. Would these be finished with linseed oil and beeswax? But I do now wonder if you ever did set out to turn a lampshade. Thanks for another instructive and enlightening video.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

These get just the boiled linseed oil. There are lampshades in my All New Turning Projects book. www.richardraffan.com.au/books-and-dvds/

[@dagwood1327]

I’m beginning to like the distortion as it dries. I will have to try that if I ever get any lathe time.

[@ultraric]

Richard, thank you. As for using this technique for different woods, is it all trial and error? What is the relationship between thickness and cracking?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Pretty much trial and error so it pays to do a small test bowl to see what happens. I find an even wall thickness leads to less splitting and it's worth avoiding knots.

[@ultraric]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning Thank you. I tried it with some oak. Maybe they were too thick ~10 mm. Cracked badly, especially the sap wood.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@ultraric I'm always on the look out for green oak for green turning because it like to warp. I won't be surprised if there are some splits amongst the medullary rays. Slightly thinner might mean less splitting but an even wall thickness is probably more crucial. I'm editing several videos involving green casuarina and coming to terms with a variety splits. I fill any parallel to the medulliary rays with blacken epoxy and they're barely discernable once the wood darkens with age. The videos will be published in the next few weeks after the bowls have dried and settled.

[@oneturnatatime6309]

Well done 👍

[@malparnell5826]

Nice

[@etienne545]

I’m wondering if you find it warps more in the microwave than just letting the bowl air dry ?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I reckon the microwave just speeds up what is inevitable with time. Commerically I never had the time or space to have hundreds of finished bowls stabilising. In the late 1970s before microwaves, I dried thin green-turned bowls overnight on a cake rack on top of a woodburning cooker's lids.

[@darrylcrum2495]

Thanks!