Preparing Green wood for Blanks?
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jodoidg
Member
Don't cut them to your desired size, you will have some shrink, warp and/or checking. With that said the the thicker it is the longer it will take to dry. The main thing is to dry slowly. What kind of wood are you working with? Some are much easier than others.
John
John
terrymiller
Member
Have you done a search here, there is alot of different ways to go about this. Some people boil the wood, microwave the wood, or freeze it. I have even read that someone uses a wood hardener and the wood is ready in a matter of days. I have not tried anything yet just what I have read.
Right now i have some apple thats been in the back shed for about a year, and some other domestic hardwood.
I think the apple is close to dry but I turned a bowl from some today and it seemed a little moist still.
I have a old food dehydrater I think I could lay some blanks in and experiment with.
Anyone try this?
Thanks
I think the apple is close to dry but I turned a bowl from some today and it seemed a little moist still.
I have a old food dehydrater I think I could lay some blanks in and experiment with.
Anyone try this?
Thanks
terrymiller
Member
You might want to get a moisture meter at some point. HF has them on sale from time to time, takes all the guess work out of it.
tseger
Member
I have been expermenting with a DNA techniche for bowls.(Has worked perfectly so far) I can't see why you couldn't do the same thing with pen blanks. Completely cover the blanks with DNA and let soak for 24Hrs. Remove and wrap the ends in newspaper, and set on a drying rack for two weeks and they are ready to go.
I was scepticle when I first saw this, but I haven't had a bowl to crack yet, and very little warping. Try it.
Tim
I was scepticle when I first saw this, but I haven't had a bowl to crack yet, and very little warping. Try it.
Tim
Dario
Member
Mark,
If you are sure what you want the wood will be...get it to as small size as soon as possible. If you are not sure...DO NOT CUT!!! Unless you are a wiz with glue up...you cannot use it for anything larger after you cut it.
Depending on wood, you may experience warping, shrinkage, twisting, etc. You will have to allow for that too.
Seal the ends with anchorseal or anything that will retard the drying to avoid checks/cracks. This is more inportant the bigger the wood. On pen blanks, I rarely seal them (except cherry burl and madrone burl).
Good luck!!!
If you are sure what you want the wood will be...get it to as small size as soon as possible. If you are not sure...DO NOT CUT!!! Unless you are a wiz with glue up...you cannot use it for anything larger after you cut it.
Depending on wood, you may experience warping, shrinkage, twisting, etc. You will have to allow for that too.
Seal the ends with anchorseal or anything that will retard the drying to avoid checks/cracks. This is more inportant the bigger the wood. On pen blanks, I rarely seal them (except cherry burl and madrone burl).
Good luck!!!
Ive got huge stack of Apple out back thats been there about a year now that I have been experimenting with, I cut some blanks about 1x1, sealed the end and put in a old food dehydrator to see how that works.
Ive always liked the look of apple when I turned bowls with it.
I also have a Honey Locoust, I think its Honey, the one with the big thorns on it, as soon as I get the nerve to walk back there and drop it and see what that looks like.
Ive heard others using DNA like that with good results, since it wouldnt be in any large quanities I think Il give it a try also.
Ive always liked the look of apple when I turned bowls with it.
I also have a Honey Locoust, I think its Honey, the one with the big thorns on it, as soon as I get the nerve to walk back there and drop it and see what that looks like.
Ive heard others using DNA like that with good results, since it wouldnt be in any large quanities I think Il give it a try also.
wade
Member
I have been using a method called Alcohol drying for my bowls. I'm sure it would work awesome for pen blanks too. Here is a link to the article. My bowls are ready to turn in about a week, and there is very little warpage, less than 1/8". Here's the link: http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/turning/articles_473.shtml
Wade
Wade
tseger
Member
Wade, do you turn your bowls in one week? the only reason I ask is because I have always waited 2 weeks on mine, but have never tried turning any sooner. One week would be great!!!!
Tim
Tim
penhead
Local Chapter Leader
I have turned bowls that have been through the DNA process as suggested in that article from Woodcentral with no problems....other than the normal whop-whop from putting it back on the chuck.
One thing I am still playing around with, and highly curious about, is the amount of time the roughed ouit bowl is left in the DNA to soak. I have tried some for 2-hours (as suggested) up to a couple of days....no noticeable difference.
Anyone have differing results..??
One thing I am still playing around with, and highly curious about, is the amount of time the roughed ouit bowl is left in the DNA to soak. I have tried some for 2-hours (as suggested) up to a couple of days....no noticeable difference.
Anyone have differing results..??
low_48
Member
My favorite drying method in winter, here in Central IL, is to cut the blanks to 7/8" or 1" and put them on the main distribution duct from my furnace. Burl blanks are the furthest from the furnace, easier stuff is near. The blanks warm with the furnace running, cools off when it's not running. Seems like a nice gentle dry, and doesn't make me so mad to pay the utility bill[
!]. I've put them on the back window deck of my work car in the summer. Makes a nice solar kiln as long as you don't mind the smell of wood cooking on the drive home. I usually have them on trays in the car so I can put them on the back seat on the drive home. Don't need a bunch of little missles if I get rear ended!!! But definitely cut the stock into the smaller blanks. There is a lot more stress and drying time if the wood is still in the large form.
!]. I've put them on the back window deck of my work car in the summer. Makes a nice solar kiln as long as you don't mind the smell of wood cooking on the drive home. I usually have them on trays in the car so I can put them on the back seat on the drive home. Don't need a bunch of little missles if I get rear ended!!! But definitely cut the stock into the smaller blanks. There is a lot more stress and drying time if the wood is still in the large form.wade
Member
I actually bought a moisture gauge from ebay. It is an amazing one and has a range from 0% to 60% in tenths of a percent (ie. 11.3%). Typically, I soak my bowls for about 2 hours. If it is a really really dense wood, like Eucaliptyis (?spelling?), then I double the soak time. Basically, when I no longer see bubbles coming up from the wood, I consider it soaked enough. I then let it air dry for about an hour, then I wrap the outside of the bowl with part of a grocery bag. During the course of the next week, I take readings on the bowl with my moisture tester. The last bowl I did was Box Elder and it started out at 21.3% moisture. It jumped down by about 2-3% per day. The day before I turned it, it was at 11.1%. The next day it was at 0%. I finial turned and finished it that night. It was 5 days after I did the alcohol soak on it. I also did some pen blanks in this manner. It worked great for them as well.
Wade
Wade
alamocdc
Member
I wish I'd sealed the flame BEB pen blanks I recently got. Very wet so I put them in my dryer (converted dishwasher per Russ' instructions) and all of them cracked or split in 24 hours.
wade
Member
Here is a link to the one I bought:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7593865429&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7593865429&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1
woodbutcher
Member
I put some wet wood in a 27' vacum and lost a lot of moisture in about 2 hrs. I use food saver containers and have no problem maintaining a vacum. The largest one I have will hold about 2 qts.
Jim
Jim
woodmanplus
Member
I love the one about drying in the window of the car. No pun intended.
I have been using the microwave method for about two years. I have four of them. I pic them up at the curb,(throw aways), I nuke for two minutes and air cool for 1/2 hour. Repeat every half hour until they slow down and then go to three minute and half hr. I use a small round scale that I got at Wlly World and keep a sheet with the weight at each time I take one out of the nuke. When they stop redusing in weight they are usually dry. I leave them in the shed for 24 hrs just to make sure and then can start turning. I have done this with pens and small bowls. I am drying two sugar maples I just took down.
I have been using the microwave method for about two years. I have four of them. I pic them up at the curb,(throw aways), I nuke for two minutes and air cool for 1/2 hour. Repeat every half hour until they slow down and then go to three minute and half hr. I use a small round scale that I got at Wlly World and keep a sheet with the weight at each time I take one out of the nuke. When they stop redusing in weight they are usually dry. I leave them in the shed for 24 hrs just to make sure and then can start turning. I have done this with pens and small bowls. I am drying two sugar maples I just took down.
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