Has anyone else tried this?

[Drstrangefart]

I made around 24 blanks that are 4-10 inches long out of oak I cut off trees that were at least 100 years old. I had to cut limbs off to raise the canopies. I cut the large bulbous collars off and run 'em through the table saw. The grain appears to go in many, many directions. Wondering if anyone had tried making blanks out of this stuff. I gotta wait like 4 months to turn these guys. I also grabbed a couple of large pieces for my dad to turn a bowel or two.

 

[KenBrasier]

100 year old Oak, why that's still a baby, OK maybe a teenager as Oak trees go. Yes, to answer your question, I make a lot of blanks out of limbs, tree trimmings, and chunks of fire wood. I've had great luck drying the cut blanks in a food dehydrator we picked up at a yard sale.

 

[Drstrangefart]

Interesting. The spot I cut off were these huge knots where the branch met the tree. I'm wondering how the grain looks when dry and turned. I may have to see if I can find a used food dehydrator.

 

[Gary Beasley]

I think we have one. I think these things also show up at thrift stores pretty regular.

 

[Drstrangefart]

I think we have one. I think these things also show up at thrift stores pretty regular.

Well, then if we can figure out how to use it to best capacity, we may have something. I have access to all kindsa fresh cut blank materials.

 

[rstought]

Hard to believe that after 30+ views, none of the usual wits have commented on "I also grabbed a couple of large pieces for my dad to turn a BOWEL or two."

Bet THAT hurt...

 

[Drstrangefart]

Hard to believe that after 30+ views, none of the usual wits have commented on "I also grabbed a couple of large pieces for my dad to turn a BOWEL or two."

Bet THAT hurt...

REAL MATURE!!!! Yeah, I kinda dropped the ball on that one. D'oh!!!

 

[ctubbs]

I use one of the table-top grills for drying blanks. I place a 100 watt regular lamp in the bottom under the cooking grill and control it with a Variack (probably spelled wrong) I hold the temp around 125 F and they dry in a few days. The temp is regulated by adjusting the vent on top.

The only problem with the collar wood is it may warp/twist just a bit, like into a circle or cork screw, but it is deffinatly worth the risk. What you get will be worth the effort. I have made hundreds of similar blanks. If you have room to make larger blanks, cut them oversize so when they twist you can still get a regular blank out.
Charles

 

[LarryDNJR]

Hard to believe that after 30+ views, none of the usual wits have commented on "I also grabbed a couple of large pieces for my dad to turn a BOWEL or two."

Bet THAT hurt...

I saw it and decided to not comment. I figured I would get out of hand.

Although my bowels were turning the other day after some tacos

 

[snowb46]

100 year old Oak, why that's still a baby, OK maybe a teenager as Oak trees go. Yes, to answer your question, I make a lot of blanks out of limbs, tree trimmings, and chunks of fire wood. I've had great luck drying the cut blanks in a food dehydrator we picked up at a yard sale.

Food dryer! What a great idea! I've already got one and it site in storage 99.9999% of the time. I tell you, you never know what great idea you'll come across in these forums. Thanks:biggrin:

 

[randyrls]

Food dryer! What a great idea! I've already got one and it site in storage 99.9999% of the time. I tell you, you never know what great idea you'll come across in these forums. Thanks:biggrin:

Be sure that your other half never finds out!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[Drstrangefart]

I use one of the table-top grills for drying blanks. I place a 100 watt regular lamp in the bottom under the cooking grill and control it with a Variack (probably spelled wrong) I hold the temp around 125 F and they dry in a few days. The temp is regulated by adjusting the vent on top.

The only problem with the collar wood is it may warp/twist just a bit, like into a circle or cork screw, but it is deffinatly worth the risk. What you get will be worth the effort. I have made hundreds of similar blanks. If you have room to make larger blanks, cut them oversize so when they twist you can still get a regular blank out.
Charles

I figured I'd play it safe and cut 'em at 1 inch by 1 inch. Should be large enough to accomodate warping. These will likely be destined for slimlines as it is, so I can work with most anything they do.

 

[ctubbs]

I also cross stack them so there is space for air flow around each piece but the humidity does not decrease too rapidly. It is just my feeling, but I think this helps hold down the warpage.
Charles

 

[Drstrangefart]

I remembered how Dad stacked his blanks and cross stacked them in the same way. I knew it needed the air flow.

 

[okiebugg]

dehydrator???

100 year old Oak, why that's still a baby, OK maybe a teenager as Oak trees go. Yes, to answer your question, I make a lot of blanks out of limbs, tree trimmings, and chunks of fire wood. I've had great luck drying the cut blanks in a food dehydrator we picked up at a yard sale.

Food dryer! What a great idea! I've already got one and it site in storage 99.9999% of the time. I tell you, you never know what great idea you'll come across in these forums. Thanks:biggrin:

Cut your bowl blanks. Cut your pen blanks. The pen blanks should be oversize by at least 1" to allow for warpage while they dry.

Put all of the wood in a plastic bag and seal it with bag tie. weigh the entire package-this is a starting point.

Turn the bag inside outand reseal at least every other day. Opening the bag allows a controlled release of moisture.resealing allows more moisture to escape into the bag but not into the air.. Weighing the entire package will tell you what the base line weight full of moisture your wood is.

weigh the bag at least weekly. releasing moisture when you open the bag allows enough moisture to escape so you can determine when the contents of the bag stop losing weight...This is the point where you've lowered the moisture level to the point that the blanks can be turned

I know that there are other ways to do the same thing, but this is the way I do bowl blanks and wet woodes for pens to this day

 

[robutacion]

Hey Mister Drstrangefart, don't you know the rules, "no pics, didn't happen...!" :wink::biggrin:

Dehydrator is a little slow but certainly helps the drying process, the power used by it 24/7 for at least 3 weeks is another matter, tough...!:frown:

The cross staking is the best way to keep the oversize pen blanks in, while drying. This reduce the space they would take otherwise and if kept under some pressure, either by a weight on top of the pack or simple strapped out with something, rapping straps, wire, rope, clamps, etc., etc., etc.

I use the blue strapping plastic straps, normally used for strapping boxes, they are just ideal for this and when they start to dry a little and the straps get loose, I put a spacer/shim between the strap and the wood and the tension the whole thing again.

Keeping and eye on the drying process, there is the loss of moisture can be easily controlled by weighing the hole pack when you strap them, mark and date it on the pack and recheck in a few weeks time. The wood was reach a stable point when the pack no longer shows any further loss of weight...!
Moisture content will be then, about 9% to 14% depending on the woos species, this is a safe stage to work the blanks...!

Hope this helps...!

Cheers
George

 

[Rfturner]

the food dehydrator is a great idea I might have to try this:biggrin:

 

[woodworkingpaul]

How long does that take in a food dehyrator?

 

[RDH79]

I dry all my blanks in a food dehydrater. Just try to get one that has a fan in the bottom. They work alot better. Just rotate the trays about every 8 hrs. I dried about 200 blanks from a crib dam this past spring. Only took 3 or 4 days to dry a batch of 6 trays, probably about 30 blanks at a time . And that wood was under water for 127 years.

 

[Phil Hansen]

Thanks for this tip.
Now I have a use for my biltong drier when not making biltong (jerky).
Phil

 

[mapletree]

I use a microwave for drying blanks and 1 1/2" squares of maple for other projects. Seems to work good even though I don't know much about drying wood. Used microwaves are not very expensive and sometimes free.