Need tips - have unseasoned wood

[adirondyke]

The other day a neighbor gave me some nice chunks of cypress from trees that he had recently taken down. Any tips for sucessfully taking this from green, unseasoned wood to great pen blanks?

I've got tons of questions!

Should I cut it into blanks right away? Should I let it dry a bit before cutting into blanks? Will I need to dip the ends into anything? If so, what would you recommend?

Looking forward to tapping into your collective wisdom! Thanks!

Marilyn
Ocean Park, WA

 

[Travlr7]

This may not be the ultimate answer, but here's what I'd do.[)]

Cut it into blanks 7/8" X 7/8" X 6-1/2". Then Microwave them for 2 minutes @ 20% - Let cool down, do it again, etc; until they are not HOT when the 2 minutes is done.

At that time they are dry.[] Let them set and stabilize for a day or two, then cut um, drill um, and turn um![8D]

Bruce[]

 

[wdcav1952]

Originally posted by adirondyke
<br />The other day a neighbor gave me some nice chunks of cypress from trees that he had recently taken down. Any tips for sucessfully taking this from green, unseasoned wood to great pen blanks?

I've got tons of questions!

Should I cut it into blanks right away? Should I let it dry a bit before cutting into blanks? Will I need to dip the ends into anything? If so, what would you recommend?

Looking forward to tapping into your collective wisdom! Thanks!

Marilyn
Ocean Park, WA[]

Marilyn, seal the ends of some chunks with wax or anchorseal (best) and leave them in a dry area of the shop or near your hot water heater if that is practical for a couple of months. Cypress loses a lot of weight as it dries. If his tree has any cypress knees, grab them, they are like burl sometimes in their unique grain patterns. The attached pix is a cypress knee pen I made some time back. I could not believe how much weight the knees lost sitting in my shop for a few months. Welcome to the addiction.

<br />

 

[tipusnr]

There are a LOT of threads in the archives regarding drying wood and lots of different methods.

I have converted an old dishwasher to a converted drying oven powered by a trouble light. Others put them atop the furnace or heating ducts. The three things needed are heat, air flow, and time.

Drying the wood thoroughly and evenly is dependant on the thickness of the wood and sealing the end grain somehow to slow moisture lose through them. Don't go too thin though as wood will shrink and twist as it dries.

 

[adirondyke]

Thanks for the tips and for sharing your experience in this matter. I "nuked" a few blanks yesterday and have some others in a slower drying process. I've got enough of that cypress that I can play around with different approaches - my shop is now home for a science experiment! []

The photo you sent, William, is inspiration to work with this species of wood - thanks!

Marilyn
Ocean Park, WA []

 

[jdavis]

microwave them is best and fastest. We microwave all the time. Students bring in all types of local wood to turn. Keep turning[8D]