Making sure wood is dry and how?

[Dvoigt]

When you buy wood, what do you do with it? How do you store it and/or keep it dry. What process do you normally use? Store it in the house, in the garage? I know that would reacts to weather and I just had an issue with wood that wasn't dry and resulted in many cracked pens.

I know that people say that you can't use a moister meter on something as small as a pen blank... then how do you KNOW that the wood you are using is ready to be used. And if it isn't how to you make it that way. I have heard of microwaves, or food dehydrators, but what works the best and what is practical for the part time hobbyist / wanna be professional?

Thanks,
D

 

[1080Wayne]

D Would store in house because that is the driest environment . Also where pens will be generally used . Microwave drying is fine but you need a small scale accurate to within about 2 gms to measure weight loss . I just air dry but still use the scale . Time required is function of initial moisture content and wood porosity . Green wood can take a year per inch of diameter . Going from Michigan dry(about 10 - 12% MC) to Alberta dry(6% MC) takes 2-4 weeks . Wayne

 

[TellicoTurning]

I've never really considered the moisture in pen blanks.. but that said, most of my blanks are stored in my shop and for as long as a year or two before I get around to using them. I keep most of them in plastic shoe boxes stacked on a storage shelf at one end of the shop.

 

[bitshird]

I have mine all over the house, some still in boards and about 500 in blanks, <Maybe that's why my wife always has a headache> :frown: if you have an accurate scale, weigh the blank, then microwave it for 20 seconds weigh it and see how much difference there is, let the blank cool off and repeat . if it only looses a very small amount in weight like a gram or less, chances are it's dry enough to turn, DO NOT try this with Snakewood or Ebony, they will hate you for it and do all manner of mean, cruel horrid things.

 

[Wildman]

Wood should be dried to plus or minus two percent moisture content of its in-use MC. In-use MC can vary widely for different species, time of the year and average annual relative humidity in your area.
The average annual relative humidity for my area is 85% in the AM and 57% PM. In use MC should be 8% when RH is 30 to 40%. Ha!
I cut my own wood blanks and store them on shelves in my unheated and un- air condition shop. Very seldom do I cut blanks and use them the same or next day. Both pen & spindle turning blanks may sit several months to years before they get turned. From really wet wood to turning have done it in as little as three months. Some species of wood more forgiven than others.
Wet wood is not the only reason wood cracks. Some species are just prone to cracking even after reaching EMC (equilibrium moisture content). While do not own a moisture meter or scale think they can put you in the ball park for not a whole lot of money.

Before buying your pen blanks. Ask some questions about how dry and prone to cracking the wood is. Also do some research on wood your thinking about buying. If wood arrives covered in wax, know that will have to scrap sides and let dry. Always let wood hang out at your place for awhile before turning. Check out sites like http://www.thewoodexplorer.com
for info on wood.