I cut a few maple bowl blanks a couple of weeks ago out of some freshly-cut
firewood. The log was about 10" in diameter. I chainsawed the log down the
middle and bandsawed the pieces round.

I put the blank on the lathe and roughed a natural edge bowl. Then, I
placed it in a brown paper bag and set it aside for a few days.

Last Saturday, I mounted the blank on the lathe and began to shape the bowl.
It was still very wet and tearing on the interior end grain. I switched to
a 3/4" half-round scraper. It was tearing worse. Sharpened scraper. No
help.

So, I set the blank aside to season further. Tonight, I mounted the blank
on the lathe again, sharpened my scraper and tried again. The bowl walls
were about 1/2" thick and the wood felt dry. More tearing. Sharpened
scraper again.

OK. I am taking light cuts. The scraper is razor sharp. The shavings are
so light and feathery they just float to the floor, but I still cannot get
rid of the tearing of the end grain on the inside of the bowl. The tearing
is too deep to sand out without going to 60 grit. Its better, but still
there! Am I still tearing, or is this damage I did to the wood while the
blank was still wet? Arrrrgggggh! Damn this hobby! Just when you think
you have something mastered, the wood humbles you again ! ! ! Help! Barry