now there's the rub. My Dad cuts up mesquite and puts them in a toaster oven for 3 days. Now the oven's on the lowest setting and he has it outside so if it catches fire, it won't take down the house!
I cut my pen blanks from dried "fireplace" logs - so I don't worry about moisture. Sorry....but between my Dad sending me mesquite and my fireplace finds, I have plenty to keep me entertained.
FWIW - last night driving home I saw a HUGE pile of pre-cut fireplace bundles outside of a convenience store. I swung back around, and they were on-sale for $1 a bundle. I bought all they had. They are cherry, oak, and walnut - all logs cut in half. I ran home and cut one in half with the chain saw and started turning a bowl - it's turning very nicely for being dried "firewood". Some will be cut into pen blanks, some will stay as bowl blanks - not bad for a $17 investment!
My point is - experiment. I think we tend to over analyze and try to make pen making a scientific formula. I learned that a lot of this is "feel" and "experience" and lots of trial-and-error. Some of Dad's mesquite is a little overcooked and I have to be very careful when turning it. Some of my fireplace finds turn beautifully and I have absolutely no clue how dry or how wet they are....