Green Hickory Pen Blanks

[Stephan Larson]

Ok here is the problem.

I have some hickory cut into 5/4 material that I was think of turning into pens. I was hoping that there is a way to dry it using an old oven I have to speed up the process. Like placing it in the oven on a racks on 200 for say 2 or 3 hours. Well tell me what ya'll think.

Stephan Larson

[Paul Atkins]

Once they are dry and cracked they will make nice kindling. I would not expect them to dry in that short period. They will crack too. I would boil them for an hour and put them in a paper bag for a few weeks. Dryness is not the only thing - stability is important too. You don't want them to split, twist or crack after they are turned into pens.

[Richard Coers]

About the only way you can push pen blank drying is in the microwave. 45 second blasts on 50% power to start. Let them cool between cycles. When the sizzling begins to slow, start weighing them on an accurate scale. When they no longer loose weight, they are dry. Conventional ovens don't move air, and are way too hot. It's a quick path to kindling. I dry most of my pen blanks by putting them on top of my furnace hot air trunk line. In about 2 weeks, this time of year, I get some great blanks. They warm up with the furnace running, then cool off with each cycle. The burls and hard drying wood start on the line at the far end of the house. As they dry more, I move them closer to the furnace. Good luck.

[Allen Neighbors]

I dry my pen blanks in one of my old refrigerator kilns. I like Paul's suggestion about boiling them first... then I'd let them air dry for a day, then I'd anchor seal the ends only, then let them dry for a while in a warm area, but not in an oven. You need to have a way for the air to circulate over and around the pen blank, to carry off the moisture as it wicks out of the wood. I don't have a way to weigh mine, or I'd do that too. When they finish losing weight, they're dry enough to turn.

[Bill Swanson]

Wrap the wood in dry paper towels, place in a large zip lock bag. Microwave until the bag expands from the steam, Dont do this for more than 2 minutes. Take out wipe the inside of the bag dry, wrap in paper towels and repeat after 5 minutes.

When it quits steaming you can stop.

Do not leave un attended after, they supposedly can catch on fire.

I have done this on a bunch of projects including spalted wood, works great.

[David E Keller]

1+ for the microwave

[Allen Neighbors]

Thanks for the microwave instructions. I'm going to give that a try with some ebony I have.

[Scott Hackler]

Soak them in Dna overnight and then air dry for 2-4 weeks is the method that works good for me (except on black walnut, which takes forever to dry)

[Stephan Larson]

Thanks all,
Like the sound of the microwave, will try it this weekend.

Stephan

[Gary Chester]

Careful...

If there's a wifey in the house you might be lookin' for trouble!! :eek:

[Allen Neighbors]

Curtis was kind enough to PM me about putting Ebony in the nuke machine. Too much heat will crack them when you drill 'em... I should have known they'd crack in a microwave. Glad I wasn't at home where the blanks were! :)