One way to tell if your blanks are dry...

[Skye]

So I have some cherry burl bottle stopper blanks I cut. I did the microwave and weigh thing, but they didn't seem to be dropping weight soon after starting. They still felt heavy though, so I just let them sit for a couple weeks.

They still feel heavy. So, I thought of a test. I put one stopper in the microwave, set the timer for a minute at full heat, put a beer glass over it. After about a minute the glass is jumping around like a jumping bean and it's got steam all over the sides.

The glass does a good job of trapping the steam, letting you see it.... if you have it.

 

[GaryMadore]

Good thinkin' (!)

A corollary: It occurs to me that, if you're getting that much steam, the microwave method has to work for you - eventually.

Cheers!

Gary

 

[GouletPens]

What if the only beer glass you have is a 64 oz. supermug that won't fit in the microwave? Yeah...it's left over from college. Go Hokies!!!

 

[sptfr43]

wait, maybe I'm missing something here but aren't beer glasses supposed to have beer in them?

 

[ldb2000]

wait, maybe I'm missing something here but aren't beer glasses supposed to have beer in them?

Well now that he knows the woods not dry yet he can put the glass to it's proper use .:beer:arty::hypnotized:

 

[Fred]

I might suggest that you get yourself some of the desiccant material used to dry flowers and such. This material is available at the better hobby and craft stores. After you have used it a few times, place the used material in a warm oven with the door slightly cracked and get it warm to the touch to re-activate it.

After you have heated your wood a good bit - don't over do it either - immediately place the blank in a jar and pour the drying material over it until it is covered. This stuff absorbs moisture and you can let the blank remain in it until it has returned to room temperature.

This way all the moisture escaping from the wood is collected and your blank cools down a bit slower thus avoiding any problems that might otherwise come about due to it being heated in the microwave.

I boil my green wood blanks following Steven Russel's method and when the operation is complete I immediately but the hot blanks in a large mouth pickle jar and cover them completely top, sides, and bottom with the desiccant material and let them dry over night.

SO far - two years now of using this method - I have yet to lose any blanks - pens or bowls - and am very pleased with all my results.

Read Steven Russels method here and try it yourself. I am sure you will be more than pleased that you tried it: http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com/woodturning-education-articles.html

Open the site and scroll down the selection list on the left side to his article on Boiling Wood. Follow his directions and see what you think. Boiling the green wood also speeds up the drying process considerably and almost always will eliminate the chances of cracking, etc. 100% of the time. :wink:

 

[Dario]

Try putting the blank in a ziplock plastic bag before MW'ing instead. It will expand as the steam builds up. You will also see the "sweat" bead form on its inner walls.

 

[Druid]

LOL Brian

 

[Skye]

Interesting info there Fred. I'd never thought of that. I'll look into it.

 

[SuperDave]

... I usually try the fire method. "If they're dry enough to burn, they're dry enough to turn." ... I never seem to have any left to turn... :crying:

 

[markgum]

what a way to waste a beer... :biggrin: