Turning Green Wood: An inspiring introduction to the art of turning bowls from freshly felled, unseasoned wood.

I am a Master Woodturner and have read a great many books on the subject. In my opinion, this is the very best.I say this because it presents the very best and most useful explanation of the wood itself. If you really want to do this "right" you cannot go forward without this knowledge. I also find his insight on tool technique and approach uniquely practical and very appropriate.I disagree with the author on several significant points. He explains the drying of wood well, but advocates the use of pretty much anything, including random leftover paint, to seal end grain on blanks and therefore avoid splitting. My experience with that approach has been disastrous, and the so-treated wood split like mad and became firewood! In my experience only a specialized green wood sealer works. He also says there is no need to sand beyond 240 grit, as nothing changes via finer sanding. That is a major miss. Wood wakes up, changes color and shouts its micro-grain somewhere between 400 and 800 grain! Maybe he says what he does due to the very limited wood species variety available to him, as he mentions.Regardless, this is a very good book!! I fear I have spent altogether too much time on my couple of caveats and hope you do not take it to too much overall importance.I could not recommend this book more highly.

I thought this was an excellent book. Although I've turned green wood I've always had questions about how to go about cutting out blanks from a log. The author addresses the various ways to orient the grain in a blank and for that reason alone the book was worth the price for me. The other aspect of the book I really liked was the information on getting pieces thin-I mean really thin, like 1/8", 1/16", 1/32". Which is presently beyond my skill level but apparently it's possible. It'll give me something to shoot for.Something totally unrelated to the writing was a manufacturing defect. Pages after 74 up to 91 were all out of order. Not just out of order but fronts and backs were really off. Fortunately all pages were there but you had to hunt for them which was quite frustrating. After rereading a section three times I came to the realization that it wasn't my inability to comprehend but the book was screwed up. I contacted the seller and they gave me a full refund and told me to keep the book. Although I'd really like to have a "good" book. I'll probably photocopy the pages and put them in the right order just to make it more readable.

This is THE book on the subject of using locally-sourced wood for turning and other forms of green woodworking. I own 3 copies of this book, and keep one copy loaned out to friends and fellow turners. I'm constantly recommending it to other wood turners and spoon carvers on line, as well. In addition to the beautifully illustrated and photographed turning projects in this book, you get detailed and comprehensive instructions for handling and drying green wood without cracking from shrinkage as the wood dries. For those in a hurry to dry wood faster than Mother Nature would like, the section on rapid drying in the microwave over is exceedingly helpful.Turning projects featured for both beginner and experienced turners alike. Wood handling methods apply to carvers as well as wood turners. I highly recommend this book for turners of all skill levels who want to take advantage of green wood -- often free -- from local trees.

Lots of detail and charts and photos. Well written and easy to understand

If you want to be successful when you turn green wood or newly cut lumber on your lathe. I recommend purchasing this book and reading it all the way through before you begin your wood turning project. When you use green wood there are different procedures that you need to follow than when you use dried lumber. I had tried to turn some green logs on my lathe and had many problems with wood cracking and was very unhappy with the results. After purchasing this book I learned the reasons why my previous attempts had not been successful. I only wish I had gotten the book at the same time I purchased my new lathe. It is an excellent resource on how to use green logs and newly cut lumber that can add flexibility and save money on wood costs when you use "found wood" and cut the logs yourself.

This was one of the best, most informative and easy to follow woodturning books I have gotten. The author did a great job of explaining everything in regards to turning green wood, and the example projects are both satisfying to complete, and challenging. His goblets are beautiful.I especially liked the information about microwave drying wood, it was just the info I was looking for. I was spending a fortune on bowl blanks from ebay, now I order a truck of logs and can truly make an original piece, and I am no longer limited to wood prepared by someone else.If you are just starting, or in between intermediate and advanced like I am, this is the book for you.

A great book on green wood turning! This can save me money in the long run; buying or cutting green wood instead of cured blanks is much less expensive. The author covers many different aspects of selecting wood, turning, tools, settings... etc. The pictures are great, and that he covers the reasons why things are done instead of just telling you to do it. This is one of those books that will be staying in my library for reference. It's just chock full of information that I haven't already seen.

Book examines the transformation of logs into turned art. Detailed chapters cover what to expect from the many different parts of a tree and grain orientations to plan a project. Projects reinforce the concepts with detailed descriptions and pictures so you can practice the techniques required to bring out the best in each grain orientation. Book addresses lumber selection, grain orientation, chainsaw roughing, burls, crotchwood, shrinkage, drying, and finishing. Well worth the price, will help you visualize what to expect as a finished product in the logs you have lying around. Author shares his experience to take your turning to the next level. Highly recommended.

I bought this as a last minute gift for my hubby who's taken up wood turning and who particularly likes wet wood turning - not sure of the terminology. I came across this book by accident while just mooching on amazon and am really pleased I found one he enjoyed and which was informative for him.

Very informative. A must if you really want to get into turning wet wood.

this book is a must for any one wanting to take wood turning as a hobby. the descriptions and the staging of the instructions is very good if some what not geared for the novice. if you have some help in the terms that are used you will create a fantastic work by following this book

Fantastic book full of detail about which parts of the tree to select and how they will behave once turned... A mine of information about the ways in which green wood behaves and can be treated..

Good guidance for someone who has the time and desire to use green wood. Of interest to anyone wanting to find out more about the basic wood.