will this work for drying blanks?

[Aaron Wingert]

I need some reassurance before I begin using DNA to dry some blanks.

I make custom turkey calls. They're turned from 4"x4" chunks of wood about 1-1/4" thick. I've always used dried stock but have a pretty good source for some nicely figured partially seasoned walnut blocks and some burl, but they'll need to be dried after resaw cutting to size.

I'm planning on getting the pieces cut out on the bandsaw to the 4" square size and then soaking them in DNA. My understanding is that you soak them overnight and then set them in some sort of bag to control the DNA's evaporation. What's the best bag to use?

Can anyone confirm that I'm going at this right? Will cutting the larger/thicker blocks of wood into the 4" square 1-1/4" thicknesses accelerate the process. These are smaller than the average bowl block.

How long should I let the DNA evaporate before turning and finishing? A couple weeks? Longer?

Any guidance would sure be appreciated! Thanks!

Aaron

[Gary Herrmann]

I believe most use a paper grocery bag.

I'm not sure how this would behave with solid stock. I know a bowl blank is solid, but it's had most of it's material removed. I'd think you'd want to cut them oversize. The rule of thumb for bowl blanks is leave the wall thickness at 10% of the overall bowl size prior to DNA. So a 10" bowl will have 1" thick walls, whereas final thickness could be 1/8 to 1/4" depending on what you like.

I'd think if you left them drying for a couple weeks you'd be fine. If it were me, I'd run a test on a not so fabulous piece of walnut to see what happens.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have never tried it on solid stock. I agree with Gary and have only used DNA on bowls. On solid stock for like peppermills I just anchorseal the ends put them on the shelf for 6 months to a year. Also on the DNA soaking I usually soak mine for 2 to 5 days depending on the wood especially fruit and nut woods.

[Darryl Hansen]

I have a hunch you would be better off drilling the inside before soaking. I would guess you do hollow the calls out correct? The DNA process works by replacing the water in the wood which is then evaporated during the drying. The paper bag or newspaper wrap is used to try to keep the base and sides drying in somewhat the same time period.

[Aaron Wingert]

I don't see any reason I couldn't turn them to the rough shape and hollow them out a little bit, or perhaps use a large forstner bit to do it. Thanks guys.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Aaron - I'm a little late to the show - but think you will need to rough out the forms before soaking in DNA. Should be easier to hollow while it is green - just be sure to leave enough (10%) so you have wood to work with once it is dry. I usually soak my bowls over night, wrap them and store in a cool place. As small as these are - I would think you would be able to finish turn the in a month.

Best of luck with the process!

[Don Carter]

Aaron:
I am a little late as well, but...I have rough turned some green wood lidded boxes and then soaked them in DNA for two or more days. I then wrapped them in paper and taped the edges for two or three weeks before finish turning. Some warped but none have cracked. YMMV

[Burt Alcantara]

I've DNA'd small blanks for boxes. In fact, I probably have a few hundred still waiting for me to get around to making boxes again. Once cut, I put them in the DNA anywhere between 1 hour and 3 days. Why 3 days? I'm a terrible procrastinator. Take them out, let them drip dry for an hour then into brown paper bags. Did this with willow, maple, oak. No cracks and virtually no warpage.

Now, because I have so many blanks, I just dunk them in wax and put them up on the shelf to forget. I still do this with off-cuts.

Small blanks will dry pretty quickly on their own. However, I live in a very dry climate.

Keep your blanks away from moving air as they dry.

Burt

[Jeff Nicol]

Aaron, I have had some luck with drying small chunks like you describe by sealing the end grain and any heavy figure with anchor seal and then sitting them out in the air and sun for a week or 2. I did this with some highly figured hard maple for pen blanks and they are almost completly dry and it has been a couple weeks. I will now put them in the shop to climatize a bit. I will find all the hidden cracks this way and I cull the bad ones. Then you can put them in a small kiln with a light bulb at the bottom and let the warm air rise up through the blanks setting on expanded metal. My box is about 2' square and has a few holes in the top for the warm air to convect out and some in the bottom to let fresh air in. This allows them to dry a bit more and will be ready in a day or 2. By putting them out in the air and sun lets the wet wood relax and equalize before you force the drying with the kiln.

Good luck and have fun! I called in 4 birds for my buddy and he took a nice tom. Then yesterday went fishing in the Mississippi for Walleye but all we caught were catfish, one was 46" long! A monster! Here is a picture of my two buddies holding up the old warrior! We let it go to fight another day!

Jeff

[Aaron Wingert]

Thanks guys, never too late for good advice. The claro walnut will get roughed out on the bandsaw and turned on the lathe somewhat before going into the DNA. The call pots are about 7/8" thick and 4" diameter when finished, so I'll rough them a bit bigger than that.

I'm one of these "instant gratification" people so it'll be torture to have to wait on this, but I'll do it! Plenty of wood that needs turning in the meantime!

Nice fish Jeff! I've been so busy making custom turkey calls that I haven't had too many opportunities to get into the woods this season. I've been getting a fairly steady stream of emails with pictures of birds guys have taken with my calls though, so that's almost as good as being in the woods myself.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

How heavy was that cat?

Never mind the wood..... Lets talk fishing!

[Steve Trauthwein]

Aaron,

I don't think you would have any trouble at all with walnut that is 1 1/4" thick. I would Dna soak it as you propose, let it drip dry and put it in an open paper bag for a week and then put it on a shelf.

After I take my stock out of the paper bag I weigh it in grams on a postal scale and when it stops going down I know it is dry.

Regards, Steve

[Jeff Nicol]

How heavy was that cat?

Never mind the wood..... Lets talk fishing!
Kyle, We estimated by length and girth that it was around 62# it was all one guy could pick and hold. With a 46" length and an almost 39" girth we figured it out that way.

Aaron, I have my turkey season in 2 weeks so I hope to get a nice bird. I used one of my calls to get my buddies bird the last few yards. It makes great purrs and soft clucks of love and he could not take it!

Have fun with the calls and Kyle I hope a big fish comes your way!

Jeff

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Wow. The biggest cat I got is 10 pounds. They really don't get very big here. I think I would let it go if I got one that big too.... Too big to eat.

[Aaron Wingert]

Progress update:
I soaked eight 1-1/4" thick 4-1/2" curly claro walnut discs in DNA for at least 24 hours (some more like 48). Put each one on edge in its own brown paper sack. Closed the sacks for a week. After a week I opened the sacks and left them open. I'm now a good two weeks into it and have the blanks inside the house (where it is a bit dryer), and am weighing them every couple days. They're losing about 4-5 grams per day still, but all are looking good...No cracks, reasonably flat. I hope to have pics of a nice turkey call on this thread in a week or two!