Wood Moisturizer

[Jim Reaves]

I recently purchased a cherry bowl blank (16") that was cut on an "Easy core" system. The vendor had not waxed or preserved the blank in any way and it is extremely dry. Is there a way to get some moisture back into the wood so that it can be turned. Right now it is so dry that it just wants to chip instead of cut.

[Bernie Weishapl]

If you are finish turning it I don't think you want to put moisture back in it. When I get chips it is because my tools aren't sharp. When I dry my bowls after rough turning I like them to be 6 to 10 percent moisture.

[Jim Reaves]

Thanks Bernie,
That was my initial thought so I put new edges on the tools and it only helped a little. I don't have a moisture meter but in over 60 yrs of turning I've never tried to work a piece quite this light and dry for it's size.

[Bill Davis]

Have you measured the moisture content? For a specific MC% there is an 'equilibrium relative humidity'. If you place the wood blank in an environment with a RH above the 'equilibrium RH' the wood piece will absorb moisture and expand or swell. Wood is hygroscopic and will adjust its MC to the RH.

[Jeff Nicol]

Jim, You can take a spray bottle of water and spritz the surface as you are turning to put a little moisture on as you go, but it won't really soak in a lot as it will evaporate as it spins. It keeps the dust down also, if you know that you are going to use an oil for a part of th finish you could put on a heavy coat of oil and let the wood soak it up and let that be the lubricant for turning and begin the finishing at the same time.

Hope this gives you some help,

Jeff

[Brian Brown]

Try soaking the wood overnight in mineral spirits. *It provides some measure of lubrication, doesn't cause the wood to swell, and evaporates slower than a spritz of water. *I have had some success doing this to wood with stubborn end grain tear out issues. *Just remember your eye protection (and keep your mouth shut ...DAMHIKT). *That stuff can really sling off the wood when you first start turning. *Also, a higher speed may help as long as it is still a safe speed.

[Joshua Dinerstein]

I saw a demonstration by Mike Mahoney here at the Utah Woodturning Symposium. He rubbed in quite a bit of his walnut oil into a piece that was dry and had tough to cut wicked-curly grain. He laughed when someone in the audience commented that he used the stuff like he owned the company. :) He probably used about 1/5 - 1/4 of the bottle I bought at WoodCraft. But it was amazing to see what a difference it made in the cuts he was able to get. I would think any similar oil would work. But I would suggest it just because I saw it work. Never tried it myself.

Joshua

[Jim Reaves]

Thanks for all of the ideas, I do like oil finishes so probably go in that direction for some lubicration as well.

[Reed Gray]

Wetting the fiber can help with very light finish cuts, but are worthless for roughing.

robo hippy