Drying with DNA

[Cynthia White]

This is my first question here and I'm a rookie, so please be gentle.:o

I'm not a turner, but I know that turners often use DNA, so I thought I should ask my question here. I have some big pieces of maple from trees cut down about 6 months ago, pieces that are like 30" diameter X 30" high.

I'd like to make some flatwork with this wood, but I don't want to wait 50 years for it to dry. Is it possible to start cutting it down to size (roughly 20" square cube that's hollowed out on one side) and soak a big piece like this in DNA, let dry, then proceed as if it's dry wood? Like turners do with smaller pieces? Does anyone ever use DNA on big pieces?

Thank you

[Steve Vaughan]

Ummm. OK, I'll jump in. I'm picturing a really large block in my mind, and I'm also thinking that it's gonna be too large - and maybe too late - to use DNA. If the tree was cut down 6 months ago, I'd guess that it's already started to check. Cutting is down to the size your talking about, you might be able to cut beyond the cracking.
Is this to be about 20 X 20 and hollowed completely all the way through? Another issue I see is a container larger enough to hold everything. For really, really large pieces, I've used a trash bag and nestled the bowl down in some shaving so that the sides are tight and you don't have to use so much DNA to get the coverage. You're talking huge and LOTS of DNA to get all the coverage. Not sure here.

[Jim Burr]

I use DNA a lot for bowls and HF's. My understanding though is that the piece must be uniform in thickness through out so when removed from the DNA, the drying will occur evenly thus preventing checking and splits. I'm not sure how it would work in your case. Any chance of rough cutting to dimention and kiln drying it?

[Cynthia White]

Thanks Steve and Jim. No, I don't think it's too late. I painted the pieces immediately with latex paint and I don't see any cracks or checking (yet). They're in my shop off the floor on boards and dusted with insect powder. Steve, not hollowed out all the way through. Think of a little cube table that's hollow underneath and solid on the sides and top. I was also thinking about the difficulty of a container to hold everything. Jim, the kiln drying occurred to me, but I wondered if you can ask a sawmill to take a custom piece and stick it in with a load going into the kiln? Since I want to work on it in 2012, and I have several pieces this size, I think I'll risk it, cut one down to size and try to soak it.......

[Steve Vaughan]

You might try one out and soak it in something large enough, but airtight, and rotate it every few days until you've had all sides in the DNA several times. But, something else to remember, is that once you've soaked it in the DNA, you've still got a while before it's dry. However, that would be for bowl use...for your block of wood that may not matter that much. A trash bag pulled up tight around it with all the air out might do the trick. Maybe first soak would be with that hollowed out side upright and filled with DNA?

[Cynthia White]

You might try one out and soak it in something large enough, but airtight, and rotate it every few days until you've had all sides in the DNA several times. But, something else to remember, is that once you've soaked it in the DNA, you've still got a while before it's dry. However, that would be for bowl use...for your block of wood that may not matter that much. A trash bag pulled up tight around it with all the air out might do the trick. Maybe first soak would be with that hollowed out side upright and filled with DNA?

That's exactly what I was thinking. Something large, airtight, rotating it, and starting with the hollowed out side filled with DNA. I'm going to try it. Thanks so much. :)

[Steve Vaughan]

Report back! Good luck!