Speedy Bowl Blank Drying?

[Gene Hintze]

Need a little help here folks. LOML suggested I make a salad bowl set for her nephews wedding which is only 7 weeks from now. I have a nice stack of Cherry logs which have been waxed and sitting in my garage since last July which I could use. There should have been some drying going on since then but my guess is they are still fairly moist inside. I generally use the DNA drying method but I am concerned that I won't have enough time to get the rough outs sufficiently dry so I can do the finish turning and get them sanded, oiled and buffed prior to the wedding. Any ideas on a speedy drying method for roughed out blanks or is this a lost cause?

[Dick Wilson]

Gene, Seven weeks hey? I would get all the bowls rough turned immediately!!! Others are going to offer suggestions and their ideas might very well be better than mine. At this point I would start using the Microwave. I have done this many times and it really shortens the drying time. I wrapped the bowls in paper towels and nuked them on Defrost for 4 minutes the first time. As the bowl looses water decrease the time. At the start it is obvious there is moisture in the wood - the paper towels are damp. For every time in the micro use new paper towels. After several sessions start weighing with a food scale. You may have to put a bowl in the microwave 15-30 times before you are done. When you no longer loose any weight the bowl is ready to be turned to finish. I am very interested in what other methods Creekers will recommend. Good luck.

[Scott Hackler]

Gene, 7 weeks is more than enough time to rough out, soak in DNA, return to lathe for finial shaping and finishing. If your unfamiliar with the denatured alcohol soaking technique, please to a search here. It has been covered a bunch of times. I use this method and feel very comfortable in saying that this would be no problem in that time frame.

edit... I didnt read your post close enough. I guess your used to DNA drying. doh! You should have a fully dried blank in 3-5 weeks time, so this is entirely possible.

[Pete Jordan]

I would build a kiln:http://jimsyvertsen.com/australianburlsdotcom/Tips4.htm

I have one and it works great.

[Jon Prouty]

DNA method with 7 weeks should be plenty of time... I have been leaving my rough outs in DNA for a few days (I usually forget that there is something soaking) and after wrapping in newsprint they are ready for final turning in about a week or so. Of course, I am in AZ but it is spring so not 110 yet.

Good luck
Jon

[William Bachtel]

Cherry is a fast drier, it will dry in my Kiln in 3 or 4 weeks, Red Oak takes me 8 weeks, Hickory takes me l0 weeks. I wood ruff turn it all now, and anchorseal it all and then just put in the house and let it dry, in 3 or 4 weeks you should be able to finish turn it. When you think it is dry, you may want to test it by putting in the micowave and if it loses weight its not dry, finish drying with the micowave. Remember you can't rush any piece of wood to dry. Oh one last thing Good Luck.

[Dan Hintz]

2-3 days in the drink, roughed, followed by 2-3 weeks in paper. Sounds like a good 2-3 weeks to finish turn, if you ask me...

[Steve Schlumpf]

Gene - my only experience with rapid drying is with the DNA method. You do have time to do that but only if you rough everything out ASAP and get them soaked and started drying. 7 weeks seems like a long time but it will get here sooner than you expect! Get busy and lots of luck!

[Jim Burr]

All the above are supporting reasons to keep a few dry blanks around the shop;):D.

[Gene Hintze]

Thanks for all the input. I don't have a spare microwave so that option is out. The only extra refirgerator I have is keeping my beer cold so that option is out as well. I do have a barrel of DNA though so I roughed out 2 large cherry salad bowls this afternoon (the heir and the spare) and they are in the soup as I type. I'll do the small salad bowls over the next few days. I will also try to make a set of salad tongs to round out the set. Oh, the things we do for the ladies in our lives!

[Bob Bergstrom]

Pick one of the many suggestions posted. If the bowls are going to be used for salads, they will probably get wet and warp anyway. A little warpage because they weren't fulling dry won't be a problem.

[curtis rosche]

turn thin and then boil and mircowave a few times. i microwave first then boil for a few minutes then microwave then boil..the boiling seems to take the sap out and the microwave dries out the wood.. it will warp, but i wont crack as long as you dont over heat it in the microwave