The DNA Method

[Mark Cothren]

With thanks to Dave Smith: http://alcoholsoaking.blogspot.com/

[Keith Burns]

Thanks Mark !!!! It's is a great read with a great explanation and great documentation. Easy to understand as well.

[Matt Haus]

Is that smoke I smell? Here we go.

[Bill Bolen]

Thanks Mark. I've read a few articles about this metod and am anxious to give it a try. Superb explaniation.
Bill

[Chris Barton]

Thanks Mark. How often do you replace or refresh your DNA? I ask this because as you soak more wood the original DNA will absorb more water and become lower proof over time.

[Mark Cothren]

The only replacing I've done was to add new DNA to the mix. I've been soaking for 2+ years and haven't found the need to dump any yet.

[Ron Sardo]

Chris

I find that I always "lose" some DNA when removing a rough out from the bath. By leveling off what is lost seems to work.

I know there will be a time when I need to replace my "used" DNA, but I'm still waiting.

[Keith Burns]

Thanks Mark. How often do you replace or refresh your DNA? I ask this because as you soak more wood the original DNA will absorb more water and become lower proof over time.

Chris, I beleive Dave addresses this in his article.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks Mark. How often do you replace or refresh your DNA? I ask this because as you soak more wood the original DNA will absorb more water and become lower proof over time.

Chris I am going 1+ yrs. on my DNA now and seems to be doing fine. As it goes down I will add some back.

Thanks Mark.

[Chris Barton]

Chris, I beleive Dave addresses this in his article.

Thanks Keith. Mark already answered the question.

[Chris Barton]

Chris I am going 1+ yrs. on my DNA now and seems to be doing fine. As it goes down I will add some back.

Thanks Mark.

Thanks Bernie. It does kind of make me think that the "proof" of DNA necessary to do it's magic isn't known. I guess what is more important is that it works, not exactly how it works.

[Reed Gray]

Try as I may, I really don't get it. I tried air, DNA, and LDD drying methods. I have done perhaps 300 to 500 bowls in DNA, a thousand or more in LDD, and a thousand or more air dried. I even turned identical bowls from the same tree (madrone) and weighed them every day. The results were the same. The same time to reach equilibrium, the same amounts of movement, and the same success rate. Have any of you DNA fans tried the paper wrapping method on a piece that wasn't soaked? Local relative humidity, to me is the biggest factor on how you should dry: no paper, some paper, lots of paper, or plastic. I don't turn thick and then return, so that could make some difference, maybe I will have to run the same test with identical bowls and see if that makes any difference.
robo hippy

[Joe Melton]

I really hesitate to post this, but I read Dave's articles (twice) and missed the part where he proved that DNA soaking shortens drying time. He had considerable success with the method, it appears, but he did not, as far as I can tell, compare drying using DNA directly with drying without using DNA. So, while he achieved success in drying turnings in a short time, he, and we, don't know what contribution the DNA soak made.
So, saying flatly that it works is overly relying on intuition and memory, in my opinion.
If Dave, or anyone else, cuts two adjacent blanks from a single wet log, turns them identically, and then compares drying times using DNA on one and nothing on the other, I would be interested in his results.
I hope this doesn't sound crotchety - such a test just takes the subjectivity and lots of variables out of the equation. Even this one data point would be insightful....
I would try this myself, but I don't have the log. Perhaps someone with a wet log and some DNA, someone who is as tired of the debate as I am, will try it and report back to us.
Again, I'm not choosing sides or saying Dave or anyone else is wrong. I am just not yet persuaded, though I do use DNA myself.
Joe

[Dennis Peacock]

Reed,

One of the successes (or failures) in the DNA method of drying is that if the bowl walls are left too thick, you can get some cracking/checking and for sure more wood movement of the dried blank.

I've tried a few methods of doing bowl blanks and DNA has been by far, the most successful of all the ones I've tried. So far, my success rate with DNA is about 99.9% successful.

[Dominic Greco]

If Dave, or anyone else, cuts two adjacent blanks from a single wet log, turns them identically, and then compares drying times using DNA on one and nothing on the other, I would be interested in his results.

When Dave first approached me with his DNA method several years ago and asked that I give it a try, I was skeptical. I had just come off of a recent unsuccessful bought with Soap Soaking and was thinking this would be more of the same. While I don't have documented test results, here's my observations. Take it for what it's worth.

However, I followed the directions with a bit of a twist. You see, I tend to forget about roughed out bowls if they're not in plain sight. So I had a couple of bowls (Osage Orange, box elder, and cherry I believe) that had been roughed, soaked in DNA, wrapped, allowed to dry for two weeks (or so) then unwrapped. To keep them separate from my air drying bowl, I put them on a shelf that was out of the way. They just sat there for 3 months drying away. When I remembered they were there I found that they were BONE dry and ready to final turn (I used a moisture meter to determine this). They were of a size and wall thickness that would have required me waiting for almost a year for them to dry "naturally". So having them ready in only 3 months was a real nice treat.

At the same time I was trying out DNA, I also roughed out some other bowls (cherry and box elder) from the same batch of wood that I had soaked. The bowls were roughly the same size and shape (more or less). These bowls had their end grain coated with anchor seal, and wrapped. Then I checked them after a month or so and removed the paper. They were then allowed to air dry. When I was final turning the DNA soaked bowls, I checked on the ones air drying. I used a moisture meter and found that they were at 16% to 20% MC. Still too wet to turn.

To date most of the bowls and vases I turn are alcohol soaked (Come to think of it, all of the ones I've posted pictured of here on SMC were alcohol soaked). I have had a fair amount of success with this process and am quite satisfied. BUT, I still air dry my big 16" salad bowls. Why? Because I don't have a container big enough to soak them in!:D

Now is DNA a cure all for poorly cut bowl blanks? No. If you cut a blank that has tight grain on one side and loose grain on the other (especially if it is fruit wood) it will MOVE while drying and chances are it will crack.

One more thing, I still use soap soaking for end grain, pith centered bowls. It works GREAT for that. Especially on Box Elder. I don't know why, it just does. :)

I think of DNA soaking as another tool in my arsenal. But it's not for every occasion. Just most...:D

[Jonathon Spafford]

Where do you guys get the alcohol? and how much does it cost?

[Bob Hallowell]

Where do you guys get the alcohol? and how much does it cost?


At the store only $2.99 for some fine thunderbird wine "hic":D

oh you mean dna- at the hardware store 10 dollars a gallon.

Bob