Speed drying

[bellringer]

i have two customers wanting pens made from there timber from trees there family members planted

so my question is there a way of speeding up the drying process so they would be dry by January

Thanks

 

[sbwertz]

There are several ways. One is to use a microwave. Another is to use a dehydrator. Both will work faster if you freeze the green blanks first, as the freezing breaks down cell wals when the water in the cells expands, allowing the blank to dry faster.

I have never used a microwave, but here are the instructions someone gave me.

weigh one blank and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes at normal cooking settings, let it cool down and re-weigh it, if they is a weight difference, the blank is not dry and will require a few more bursts in the microwave but this time, you go for 30 seconds at a time with cooling in between. Weigh it after a couple of 30 second bursts, if it continues to lose weight, continue doing those 30 seconds bursts until the wood/blank stops losing weight, the wood/blank is then dry...!

Sharon

 

[Woody]

That is right Sharon but there's no guarantee it wont split all I do is put them on the floor on a cloth under a radiator it normally takes about a week but you still need to keep your eye on the weight till it is stable but this also is no guarantee it wont split

 

[yorkshireman]

Drilling a 5mm hole which can be increased later helps to speed up the process. Also turn down on the lathe leaving the blank about 2mm proud. Stick in the airing cupboard for a fortnight then drill to required size and carry on.

 

[Doug]

Drilling a 5mm hole which can be increased later helps to speed up the process. Also turn down on the lathe leaving the blank about 2mm proud. Stick in the airing cupboard for a fortnight then drill to required size and carry on.

That`s the way I`d proceed, I`ve tried the microwave with varying results, I found it best to do it on the defrost setting, it also stinks so not advisable if your mum is around.

 

[Woody]

You will probably get a thousand different ways to do it Alex its one of those minefield questions good luck mate

 

[bellringer]

well we can try a bit of each

 

[yorkshireman]

That`s the way I`d proceed, I`ve tried the microwave with varying results, I found it best to do it on the defrost setting, it also stinks so not advisable if your mum is around.

I've tried the microwave on defrost Doug and never been successful

 

[paulm]

I have taken wood from the tree, sealed the ends in wax and then put them on a heat source. Cut them longer than need be - double the length, and cut double the amount needed. I can turn a blank in a week using this method but there is a lot of twisting and turning of the wood. So far I've had good success with woods such as ash, holly oak and some others but not had a lot of luck with holly although cutting it small and sealing the ends, they still dried in a few months in a box. Now that I've built up a stock I don't have to do this unless I find a bit of wood that I'm impatient to turn. Good Luck... What wood is it anyway?

 

[bellringer]

one is walnut and one is beech

 

[Grump]

Alex I am not sure that it works as I have never tried to hurry the process, for me it don't matter if it's green or rotten, if I have to turn it I will regardless.
A tip I have seen to be tried with apparently very good result is a dustbin full of dry wood shavings / sawdust, the pieces to be dried buried in the middle of them then left outside in natural atmosphere with lid on.
I am assured the moisture is drawn from the wood into the shavings but who knows, Have fun I hope you find a successful way you can pass on for the benefit of mankind.

 

[sbwertz]

Here in AZ I use my barbecue grill in the summer time. I set it out in the sun and put the blanks inside. Makes a grand kiln in 110 degree weather

 

[Woody]

No chance of doing that over here Sharon LOL

 

[turnaround360]

Woody have you heard of soaking in soapy water first before drying I saw this somewhere but i dont know the reason for it any ideas.

 

[Grump]

Woody have you heard of soaking in soapy water first before drying I saw this somewhere but i dont know the reason for it any ideas.

I have heard that one although I think it uses some sort of reverse logic in that the soap breaks down the enzymes in the wood sounds like a load of crap to me.
Hey ho people do all sorts of things to try and change nature.
Have you seen the tomtato.

 

[Woody]

Woody have you heard of soaking in soapy water first before drying I saw this somewhere but i dont know the reason for it any ideas.

Yes I can vaguely remember also boiling wood is supposed to speed up drying but I haven't got a clue why may have something to do with the sap

 

[turnaround360]

When I was a child we grew potatoes and they
Produced tiny tomato like fruit they stayed green and are apparently poisonous .

 

[Woody]

How do you go from drying wood to bloody tomatoes n spuds only on this forum is it possible

 

[Buckeye]

Woody have you heard of soaking in soapy water first before drying I saw this somewhere but i dont know the reason for it any ideas.

Boiling the wood has the same effect as freezing the wood, it breaks down the cells that hold the sap/resin and is replaced by water. After boiling for an hour or more the sap will be on the outside and the wood will most likely be black or dull grey, once it is dried and cut it is back to normal colour.

Peter

 

[Penpal]

Grump,

One thing for sure those tomatoes have an excess in Cajones IMHO.

Kind regards Peter.