Crabapple Blanks???

[Dave C]

Hi All,
I have some Crabapple logs (the trunk from the tree not branches) that i would like to make into pen blanks. They are approx. 5-6 inches in diameter some are 6 inches long and I have some that are a little bigger in diameter and 2 feet long. I've had them in my basement for almost 2 years now and am wondering if you think they would be dry enough to make pens out of??? I don't have a moister meter to see if the are dry enough. Is there a good way to tell with out using a moister meter?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Fred in NC]

There are several ways, and I am sure you will get a few suggestions.

One way is to cut a stick, a little longer than a pen blank, and put it in the lathe and try turning it into a cylinder. You will find out quick enough.

If you have a postal or kitchen (for diet) scale, you can cut a piece of wood, and weight it. Then wrap it in a paper towel, and microwave for about one minute, and let sit for another minute. Weight again. if it weights much less, you have extracted excess moisture. Don't let the wood get overheated!

 

[woodspinner]

Cut a piece an give it a kiss. Your lips are very sensitive to moisture. If you are not sure of the feel, kiss a piece you know is dry,

Good turning and be safe
Bill

 

[Scottydont]

Originally posted by woodspinner
<br />Cut a piece an give it a kiss. Your lips are very sensitive to moisture. If you are not sure of the feel, kiss a piece you know is dry,

Good turning and be safe
Bill

My wife is already envoius of the time I spend in the shop. If she see's me kissing my pen blanks she just might blow a gasket! [B)]

 

[jimr]

Dave - I would suggest you go ahead and turn a pen. After two years I
would certainly expect the wood to be dry enough. I have turned pens from limbs of privet, sumac and yaupon when they had been cut no more than a month. I know the wood was still wet but I suspect that in turning and sanding, when the walls were that thin, the wood got dried out. I have not had one split or crack or warp. So, for myself, I turn pens out of green wood and so far, no problems.

 

[William Young]

jimr;
I was glad to hear that response. I have some sumac and butterfly bush tree limbs that are probably a couple months old now that are drying in my shop. Maybe I will put a couple on the lathe in the near future and see what happens.
W.Y.

 

[DCBluesman]

Turning green wood is absolutely possible. I've mostly turned green North American fruit tree wood like plum, apple, mock orange. One suggestion, though. Use either epoxy or poly (Gorilla) glue for your tubes. The few I've used CA on eventually split. [8D]

 

[DCBluesman]

Originally posted by DCBluesman
<br />Turning green wood is absolutely possible. I've mostly turned green North American fruit tree wood like plum, apple, mock orange. A suggestion, though. Use either epoxy or poly (Gorilla) glue for your tubes. The few I've used CA on eventually split. Also, be sure to tube your blanks immediately after drilling or they will close up on you a bit. [8D]

 

[low_48]

I'm with Scott, kissing the blanks might just be going too far!!!! I would weigh it on a diet scale, microwave it for 30 seconds and check the weight again. No change? It's dry.