Drying green wood using dish soap

[Edward E Wilson Jr]

Hope to be turning some green bowls in the near future. I have read several posts on the drying of the bowl after turning out a rough bowl. Have heard that one method for drying is to soak the bowl overnight in a solution of inexpensive dish soap mixed with equal part of water. Then put on shelf to dry, weighing from time to time to see when there is no more loss of weight.

Anyone tried this, and if so what are the exact steps to take.

Ed

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have heard about it Edward but I use the Denatured Alcohol method. Have had excellent luck with it. Have not lost a bowl yet since I started using it. Be interested to hear if anyone uses the soap method.

[Edward E Wilson Jr]

Bernie replied that he uses denatured alcohol. Bernie, how do you do that?

Ed

[sascha gast]

I use it on NIP bowls and it is not so much a way a quick drying the wood, it's more to prevent cracking. after soaking for at least 24 hours, I can finish turn and get no cracking or warping. but each wood reacts different and the thicker the bowl you'll get more warping.
Alcohol works quicker

sascha

[Cindy Karageanes]

Hi,

I am relatively new to turning (6 months) and new to this site. I have also been searching for the instructions on the dish soap technique. I found this website http://www.ronkent.com/rontech.html. I have turned three bottle stoppers so far and LOVE the results. The only problem I have run into is getting the finish (Myland's 3 step) to adhere to certain parts on the wood. So what I tried was once I finished sanding the stopper I cleaned the wood with mineral spirits, put on one coat of CA and then completed my finishing process. All three have turned out beautiful. If I can figure out how to post photos I will post a picture of the stoppers I have completed.

The woods I used were: Monkey Pod, Sweet Gum and Sassafras. The sweet gum has BEAUTIFUL grain. I have never turned these woods before and I have never heard of monkey pod or sweet gum so it was to work with new woods.

I hope this helps. If you end up finding any more information on the dish soap method I would love to find out more.

Cindy

[Bernie Weishapl]

Edward the method I use can be found on this website http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?dir=turning&file=articles_473.shtml. I would think the soap method would be a messy mess. Anyway Edward. Try this website and see what you think. It works for me and a lot of folks on here use it.

[John Hart]

Welcome to the Creek Cindy!!!!

Welcome to the Abyssal of pure happiness:)

[Edward E Wilson Jr]

Thank you all for replying to my question. Now I need to get a green 10-12" dia log, somehow split it down the middle (I guess that is what you do) and then rough turn a bowl and decide which method I will use to dry it out with.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Edward, the soap method may work better on some woods than others. I used it on elm and the piece 6 months later was still real wet by my meter. The article I read had a guy finishing wood the net day, so I don't get it. I like the alcohol.

Ernie

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ernie I have a brother that used to use the soap method and he said most woods took 4 to 6 months. He said some still wasn't dry enough to finish turning. I turned a elm bowl that was DNA'd and finished turning it 18 days after taking it out to dry.

By the way welcome Cindy to SMC.

[Paul Downes]

I've used the soap method for a while, and they do warp as the dry. If you turn the bowl thin enough and sand it to generate heat it seems to dry them out quite a bit, and lessen the warping. I guess I need to get a moisture meter to check things out more scientificaly. I've been turning mostly red stain boxelder. This being a rather soft 'hardwood' it seems to soak the soap up quickly. The theory is that the soap fills the wood cells preventing them from collasping as the wood drys. I've had very few crack and those that did seemed to have ring separation already started.

[Andy Hoyt]

This process has me intriqued since the alky bath is darned expensive.

Oh, and Welcome Cindy! Sure would like to see some of your work.

[Dennis Peacock]

Welcome Cindy!!!!

Well...
I've tried boiling bowls with some success.
I've tried coating in Anchorseal and setting aside for 2 years with pretty good success.
I've tried microwaving with some success. Takes a while too.
I've tried soap and water and brown paper bags. Works pretty fair.

The best process I've ever tried and still use today is soaking in Denatured Alcohol overnight or 24 hours...or longer.....drying in the open until the surface is lightly damp and wrapping in 2 layers of newspaper. I've had nearly 100% success with this and a 21 to 30 day turn around from green to finished bowl is great.

Yes....it's expensive to get enough to soak large bowls in, but you can do a LOT of green bowls before you need to change the alcohol out with fresh.

Maybe I'll take some pics this weekend and post my process. :confused: