Drying Cherry and turning pens

[Johnnyy Johnson]

I have a small cherry tree that I would like to cut some of the limbs out of. I was thinking about drying them in a large dehydrator to make blanks for turning pens. I know that it would be much better to just buy the blanks, but I am trying to get a familly member into turning. Cutting and drying the blanks would make it more intereasting for them.

What temp should I set it up for. It is a large 1000W SS Weston that adjusts from 84 to 155F. Should I turn the bark off and paint the end of each blank? Maybe saw it into a square blank about 12" long?? How long of a drying period? ( all of the blanks would be about 3 inch square and about 12" long.

[Dan Hintz]

I'm assuming the branches are small... this thread may help:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?23022-grain-direction-in-pen-blanks

[Scott Hackler]

If you need to (for trying to speed things up) use the dehydrator, I would 1) set it to the lowest temp and 2) cut the blanks up to 1" x 1" x 6". You will get a better result than 3" thick stock. FYI , green cut pen blanks in that dimention will usually dry in 3 weeks in a climate controled, 75 degree shop shelf. I cut up scrap for pen blanks and do this method, but I do soak mine in DNA prior. I will admit that I dont think the DNA has any real effect on the speed of drying a pen blank. They usually dry pretty fast. With the dehydrator, its kinda like a kiln, but the dehydrator would be removing the moisture a lot faster than a kiln. That cool work for or against you.

[Jim Burr]

Depending on the size of the kit and if its a 1 or 2 blank kit, anything from 3/4" x 3 to 1x1x6 will work fine.

[Don Alexander]

cherry is going to try to crack like crazy slower drying could help alleviate this problem but don't necessarily count on it
just be sure its good and dry before turning a pen out of it or you will almost surely be disappointed in the results HTH

[Johnnyy Johnson]

Should I wait till this fall when the sap is down to cut the cherry?

[Dan Hintz]

If you care about the bark staying on for natural edge type of work...