Comment,Query and Question about turning green and dry

[Hilel Salomon]

Thanks to Gary Dewitt's reply on the thread about hollowing. I came across some fantastic articles by Lyn Mangiameli.They're incredibly detailed, very informative and well written. Among them was an article about using Costco house brand dishwashing detergent to dry bowls very, very quickly. Have any of you used this technique? I was so impressed that I looked for a Costco near me, but alas, none were found.
Two questions: What do you folks do with numerous hairline cracks on a bowl already formed? Every piece of walnut that I've turned lately has dozens of these. One to five and I'd use ca and sawdust, but..... Advice welcome.
Is their a planet healthy way to dispose of chips generated by turning? I know that walnut shouldn't be used as mulch, and I use cedar to line my dogs' daytime houses, but I'm wondering what can be done with the tons of chips I generated turning Cherry and spalted maple etc. Again, advice welcome.

[George Tokarev]

It's the glycerine (glycerol for the alcohol types) that gives all the benefit you'll get from dish detergent. Surfactant will only help redistribute color in your wood a tad if you soak. Glycerine is used as a humectant in the detergent to keep your hands soft, and in softening the leaves and petals of botanical specimens, so it'll keep the fibers expanded longer than water because of its higher boiling point, and the fact that it is hygroscopic. In short, won't dry anything with it.

A few like Ron Kent have made claims in that respect, but most have finally admitted the emperor might be making a fashion statement, but is still naked. Most agree it's a good sanding aid, giving a bit of lube and some dust control, and wetting the surface of something you're trying to keep from drying is a good idea, so use for short breaks in turning seems good.

[John Hart]

...What do you folks do with numerous hairline cracks on a bowl already formed? Every piece of walnut that I've turned lately has dozens of these. One to five and I'd use ca and sawdust, but..... Advice welcome.....

I wet sand with clear shellac. Does a nice hard fill-job.

As far as shavings.....I burn mine in the wood burner right now...since it's winter. probably put it around the shrubs in the summer....'cept for the walnut.....probably burn that during our summer-time bonfires. Planet Healthy? Hmmm...well....fire is natural ain't it?:D

[Hilel Salomon]

I wet sand with clear shellac. Does a nice hard fill-job.

As far as shavings.....I burn mine in the wood burner right now...since it's winter. probably put it around the shrubs in the summer....'cept for the walnut.....probably burn that during our summer-time bonfires. Planet Healthy? Hmmm...well....fire is natural ain't it?:D

Thanks John,
When I look at it the term does sound very phony. What I meant was something that doesn't add to the local dump. I'll use the chips in my woodstove, but I'd better make sure that they don't include some of the exotics or spalted wood shavings.

[Paul Engle]

Yes, let them season for 6 months then use around the flower beds, borders and landscaping , oak and other hard woods need a year but make great ground cover in flower beds etc. I use to grind bark chips from pines etc and the LOML would use around her roses and etc to help keep the weeds down, just be sure good and seasoned or the oils etc from the hard woods will burn the LOYL's flowers and be mad at me....:D

[Rich Souchek]

Hilel,
The dishwashing soap soak is supposed to reduce drying cracks and distortion in rough turned bowls. A good by-product is easy sanding of the blank when dry.
Does it actually minimize distortion while bowls are drying? Some say yes, some say no.
Guess the real answer is for you to try it and see what you like.
For me, I've been using it for about 4 months now and am impressed with the results. However, I don't have anything to compare the dryed bowls with to put any accurate, 100% honest benifit too.
It is messy and another step to perform. It takes up space. My solution is dark brown and mucky on the bottom from forgetting red oak pieces in it.
Rich S.

[Reed Gray]

As far as the LDD soak goes, after soaking a thousand or two bowls that way, and that many more air dried, and maybe 500 DNA soaked, I can find no measurable difference in any of the methods for crack control, quicker drying times,and less movement. It is a bit of a mess, but if you turn green wood to final thickness, soak and then let it dry and warp before sanding and finishing, it is worth it in the way things sand out after. If you turn thick and dry, then return, I doubt if there will be any benifits. To prevent cracking, you have to control the environment, which means temperature, humidity, and air flow. You may have to experiment to find out what works for you depending on your local climate and shop conditions, but slow and easy does it. Any cheap brown hand dish soap solution will work. Eventually it has to be thrown out, especially if you are soaking a lot of black walnut and then want to soak something light.

As far as the cracks go, if I find them in the wood before I turn, I evaluate if they will turn out if I remove enough wood, or if they are too many and too deep, I burn it. I used to try to save all my bowls, but after all the mess and time involved with super glue and dust and other fillers, is isn't worth it for daily use bowls. You may save the bowl, but how long it will last is a guess at best. With art pieces it is another matter, as they generally won't have to take the handling that a utility piece will.

I am lucky with my shaving piles. A friend said he would take all I could give him. After several hundred big bags, he still wants all I can give him. There may be a home yard waste recycling place near by you that will take what you have. If there is someone who makes and sells garden mulch, they will take it also. Sometimes there is a small fee. I could fill my cargo van with bags, and they would charge me $2.00.
robo hippy

[Frank Kobilsek]

Hilel

Chips go in the compost pile, even some walnut. The walnut shaving won't hurt an established tree or bush but it will prevent seeds from germinating, so put it in area of the yard where you do not want new things to grow. I have a 400' honeysuckle hedge my big loads of walnut go along the base of that hedge.

On the soap soak issue - I sit in the DNA pew at the bowl drying church.

Frank

[George Tokarev]

Segregate your shavings. Dark, acid and extractive-loaded wood is great at supressing and even killing weeds. Remember that the process of degrading the shavings will require extra nitrogen, so don't mulch foliage plants which need lots of nitrogen unless you supplement.

Other uses include animal bedding, where, if you play your cards right, you can get the needed nitrogen added gratis and fire starters for those of us who heat with wood. Consult with prospective users on which woods they want. Horse people don't want walnut - foundering - or cherry - nibbling - and chicken people want minimum dust, which looks enough like mash to a stupid bird that they'll eat it. Dog breeders don't want cedar because it can ruin the dogs' sense of smell, and so forth.