DNA Drying

[David Woodruff]

A question for those of you with DNA drying experience. How long before the DNA accumulates enough dissolved water to become in-efffective? Do you have a measuring method, eg. hydrometer, to assertain amount of dissolved water? Any one try to distill the alcohol out of the liquid to save cost. Where does one purchase drum quantities instead of buying $12.00/gal at Home Depot. I like experimenting with various drying methods. Not sure why, I have enough large rough(first)turned pieces that are dry & past ready to 2nd turn and finish to last years.
Thanks for sharing. david

[David E Keller]

I've had the same batch of DNA for about a year now, and I top it off with new DNA whenever I deem necessary. There are methods for determining the water/alcohol ratio, but I've never tried to use any. So far, dumb luck has been enough.

Not sure about a source for DNA in large quantities, but I'm interested to hear what the others have to say.

[Scott Hackler]

I guess I never worried about the water content in my giant bucket of Dna. I figure if I can still discover that unknown cut on my finger when I submerge it in the bucket... well there's plenty of alcohol left!

I buy my Dna at our local SherwinWilliams paint supply store. The manager gives me contractor price and a 5 gal bucket cost me a little under $50 with tax.

[David Woodruff]

I guess I never worried about the water content in my giant bucket of Dna. I figure if I can still discover that unknown cut on my finger when I submerge it in the bucket... well there's plenty of alcohol left!

I buy my Dna at our local SherwinWilliams paint supply store. The manager gives me contractor price and a 5 gal bucket cost me a little under $50 with tax.
Scott, The interesting thing about alcohol and water is that if you mix half gallon of alcohol and half gallon of water you then only have about .9 gallon of liquid. The alcohol molecules hide to some degree in the larger molecular interspaces of water. I think the finger method is a good and reliable test. Thanks , David

[Bernie Weishapl]

David I have the same container of DNA that I started using 4 yrs ago. I just keep adding every now and then a fresh can of DNA which is about once a year so $12 isn't bad. Haven't had a problem yet.

[Steve Schlumpf]

David - each time you remove a soaked bowl, the level of DNA in your container will drop some. Eventually you add more DNA to replenish what remained in the bowls. Never worried about water content cause I am always adding fresh DNA anyway.

One thing to think about if you are considering soaking bowls in a large bin or something (you mentioned 50 gallons of DNA) is that the blanks will float. So, depending on the container used - you may have to weigh the blanks down in order to keep them submerged.

Good luck with it!

[Jon Lanier]

David - each time you remove a soaked bowl, the level of DNA in your container will drop some. Eventually you add more DNA to replenish what remained in the bowls. Never worried about water content cause I am always adding fresh DNA anyway.

One thing to think about if you are considering soaking bowls in a large bin or something (you mentioned 50 gallons of DNA) is that the blanks will float. So, depending on the container used - you may have to weigh the blanks down in order to keep them submerged.

Good luck with it!

Who knew, wood floats. ;)

[John Keeton]

...I have enough large rough(first)turned pieces that are dry & past ready to 2nd turn and finish to last years.David, I am glad you asked this question, as I want to start using the DNA method, and your comment above is exactly why the idea of twice turning doesn't interest me much. With the way my tastes change, what I rough turn today will not, in all likelihood, hold my interest a year from now.

[Dick Strauss]

David,
I've done as others suggested...just add a little bit as the level drops. I've replaced my batch once in 5 years (most of it had evaporated at the time).

FYI-One thing you don't want to do is put the water/DNA mix back in a metal can for storage. The water will attack the can and leave pin-hole leaks everywhere (DAMHIKT:eek:).

[Charlie Reals]

I was able to get it in 5g from ace for $43.00 otd.

[Charlie Reals]

David - each time you remove a soaked bowl, the level of DNA in your container will drop some. Eventually you add more DNA to replenish what remained in the bowls. Never worried about water content cause I am always adding fresh DNA anyway.


One thing to think about if you are considering soaking bowls in a large bin or something (you mentioned 50 gallons of DNA) is that the blanks will float. So, depending on the container used - you may have to weigh the blanks down in order to keep them submerged.

Good luck with it!
Pecan must be different, I put my first roughturn pecan in yesterday and It sunk like cement and was still submerged this morning. Shocked me.

[David Woodruff]

David, I am glad you asked this question, as I want to start using the DNA method, and your comment above is exactly why the idea of twice turning doesn't interest me much. With the way my tastes change, what I rough turn today will not, in all likelihood, hold my interest a year from now.
Morning John, as always you put the perspective in the evolution of our turning experiences. I have burnt a couple dozen rough turned HFs in my pot belly stove because I looked at them and said to myself, "self you ain't never gonna finish this one" into the fire. Dry HFs burn good.

[David Woodruff]

Sounds like the typical container is around 5-7 gallons and should be plastic. Anyone disagree please shout at me as I am going to the DNA store after I do a little www research on pricing. Thanks for all your inputs.

[Paul Singer]

I have been doing DNA drying for about 6 weeks now and have been checking weights. It appears that they get down to a certain weight in about three weeks then taper way off but continue to loose a little more over time. Just wondered when people consider the blank dry enough. Also I have been soaking the blanks overnight. Is this long enough?

Thanks.

[Scott Hackler]

I soak all my blank for 24-48 hours except fruitwood. Fruitwood gets a couple more days. After wrapping them up in 3 thicknesses of newspaper, my roughouts sit on the shelf for a minimum of 30 days and most of the time they aren't touched for 60 (just because I dont get back to them. I don't weight mine, rather I do a smell test. If I can still smell the dna its not done yet!

[Harvey Schneider]

I found that I can get a better price on DNA by going to a local hardware store and telling them I am buying five gallons. That gets me a 10% discount over a price that was already better than the big box stores. Last year I paid $9 per gallon in one gallon cans.

[Charlie Reals]

This thread jogged my memory, I just took a pecan roughout out of the DNA. It's been there a week or so. Pecan must be very dense as this is the first one Iv'e had sink and stay sunk. It never did float. Now to wrap it and see what happens.

[Charles Goodnight]

Just keep it in a sealed container. If you need it DRY take out more than you need and put it in a small jar with silica gel particles. Shake hard and let it sit for an hour. It will be dryer than when you bought it.

I'm not sure about DNA, ethyl alcohol forms an "aziotrope" at 95% alcohol, and 5% water. The stuff they sell is this 95% alcohol (which is 190 proof). If you get 100% (200 proof) alcohol it normally has been dried by adding benzene and then decanting off the alcohol. (NEVER drink 200 proof alcohol). In the lab the only way to consistently get dry alcohol is to dry it. Benzene works, but silica gel is a lot safer and easier.

[Charlie Reals]

Just keep it in a sealed container. If you need it DRY take out more than you need and put it in a small jar with silica gel particles. Shake hard and let it sit for an hour. It will be dryer than when you bought it.

I'm not sure about DNA, ethyl alcohol forms an "aziotrope" at 95% alcohol, and 5% water. The stuff they sell is this 95% alcohol (which is 190 proof). If you get 100% (200 proof) alcohol it normally has been dried by adding benzene and then decanting off the alcohol. (NEVER drink 200 proof alcohol). In the lab the only way to consistently get dry alcohol is to dry it. Benzene works, but silica gel is a lot safer and easier.

The only non bonded alcohol I'll drink is double run:):)

[David DeCristoforo]

I'm with JK. No way I want to have to wait a year or more to finish turn a piece! Maybe if I was in my thirties... So I'm extremely interested in accelerated drying methods. I've got some DNA and a nice big plastic bucket and some very wet wood which will very shortly be combined...