What Scales to weigh drying Bowls?

[Mike Peace]

For those of you who rough turn bowls and put them away to dry - what kind of scales do you use and where do you get them? Any particular favorite?

I have started rough turning and putting em away but have not been too systematic. Just marking the date and type and sticking them in a paper sack in the garage. I have had pretty good luck with very little splitting and waiting from 6 weeks to six months depending on the size. I think I am borrowed time so need to get a better system. I am also ready to start doing some microwave drying so need scales for that.

[Christopher Zona]

Mike,

I use a similar approach.

My first drying is in the shavings packed in a closed corrugated box until the shavings are dry, about a month. I wouldn't suggest any longer since mold could occur if the wood species is really wet.

The second drying is in the same closed box without the shavings, about another month.

The third drying is in a paper bag. This is where it will stay for the duration. The remaining duration is dependent on the wall thickness and the 1" per year idea.

This works for me since I am not in a hurry.

[Allen Neighbors]

I don't have any scales, but I thank you for posting this. I'm interested, also.
Thanks again.

[Richard Madison]

The USPS sells an electronic, digital scale that weighs up to 10# to the nearest 1/10 ounce. Forgot the price but you can probably find it online. Just google USPS.

[William Bachtel]

I ruff turn, then dry one or two days, then anchorseal all of the bowl blank, then weigh it on a postal scale, if it is a larger bowl, I use a baby, or a small food scale, that goes to 25 lbs. Whats most important is not what it weights but where you store the bowl. I store mine in the garage out of the sun, and wind. (my garage is dry) Needs a dry steady place to sit while drying. Wood can sound dry, or it can sound wet. Dry wood sounds high pitch, wet wood sounds like a dull , low pitch sounds, hope this helps. I lose very few bowls due to drying.

[robert hainstock]

I thought everybody used a moisture testor for this purpose. It seems it would be a whole bunch more accurate. IMHO!:)
Bob

[robert hainstock]

I thought everyone used a moisture tester for this purpose. certainly as cheap as a scale, and a whole bunch more accurate.
Bob

[Mike Minto]

I thought about using a moisture meter, but they leave pin holes (most do, anyway) and didn't think they would measure moisture very deep in a block of wood - am I incorrect? I'm just starting to rough turn and store bowls for later finishing, myself, so I'm very interested in this discussion, too! Mike

[Steve Campbell]

Hi Mike
I soak My rough turned bowls in DNA for about 24 hrs. I then wrap them in 2 layers of newspaper and set them on a shelf in my dinning room. After about a week I start weighting them. I bought my scale at Harbor Freight. It is the small postal scale they have on sale quit often. I think I payed around $20 for it. The one I have weighs in ounces, Pounds, or grams. I use the grams most of the time. It is very easy to keep track of.
I start weighing my blanks after about a week. Then weigh them every few days. I turn mostly bowls in the 6 to 7 inch range and it seems to take about 3 weeks to a month for them to dry.
Hope this helps.

Steve

[David Walser]

I thought everybody used a moisture testor for this purpose. It seems it would be a whole bunch more accurate. IMHO!:)
Bob

A moisture meter will tell you the percentage of moisture within a block of wood (ignoring question about whether or not the meter can measure that percentage accurately at more than a nominal depth below the surface of the wood), but weighing will tell you when a block is dry -- which is what you want to know.

What percentage of moisture equals "dry" varies from one part of the country to another and varies with the seasons. What someone in Florida would consider dry might be considered wet in Arizona, for example. When a block of wood quits loosing weight (that is, it's weight only varies with the ambient humidity level), it's moisture content has stabilized and the wood is dry for turning purposes. Unless you know what percentage of moisture equates to "dry" in your part of the world (understanding that percentage might be different in the summer than in the winter), your moisture meter won't answer the right question. Just FYI, when I worked in a furniture mill in Utah (very dry part of the country), we wanted our stock to be below 6% moisture. In Mississippi (very wet), 12% might be considered dry.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I do like Steve C. does. I use the DNA method soaking the wood 24 to 72 hrs. I cut up a brown grocery sack or use 2 or 3 layers of newspaper and wrap the bowl. I date it and what kind of wood. I store mine in a dry cool place. I started weighing them but found 99% of them quit losing weight and could be turned in 3 to 4 weeks so just quit weighing them.

[John Sheets]

Mike, To answer your question about the scale, I use a postal type digital scale that I found on ebay. It's an Ultraship, model Ultra 35. It was pretty inexpensive (20-30 shipped if I recall), and amazingly, it seems quite accurate and is still working fine after about a year. Don't recall the vendor, but there should be a pretty good array of them.
JS

[Darryl Hansen]

There are always a "ton" of postal scales on ebay. $30 would be expensive as I remember. I quit weighing my bowls when I discovered I could pretty well tell when they were dry by merely feeling them. While they are drying they are and the newspaper are cool to the touch when dry they feel room temperature. I soak 24-48 hours in DNA then wrap in newspaper per "Smith" technique. Usually within a week or so depending upon the humidity in the shop (garage) the bowls are dry enough to finish or re-turn depending on the type of bowl.

If the wood is a fruit wood like cherry or apple I check the bottom about the third day or so and if cracks are beginning to appear douse them with CA and recover. Rarely lose one anymore.

[Richard A. Rivera, M.D.]

Mike,
I have been turning various green wood from the Dallas local area. I turn them down to what I think will be the finished thickness, about 1/8 inch for the side walls. I then weigh the bowl with some gram food scales (under $30 from my local Target). I record the weight and then place the bowl in the wicrowave and cook at 50% power for 2-4 mins depending on the size of the piece and let it cool and re-weigh. I continue this process until I have reduced the weight 20%-25% of the original weight. CAUTION the bowls can become quite hot during this process, also the wood is kind of "steamed" and I have shape formed the edges while still hot with some interesting effects.
Once the desired weight is obtained, I wrap the piece in 3-4 layers of paper towel, stuffing the inside of the bowl and the wraping the whole thing it 5-8 sheets of newspaper and leave it in my kitchen for 2-4 week, or when I remember it's up on the shelf.

No DNA fumes to worry about...no second turning...and to date...after about 50 bowls...no cracking.

This is modifacation of the technique in Trning Green Wood by Michael O'Donnell. Pages 27-28.

Seems to work for me...good luck...Richard

[robert hainstock]

I thought about using a moisture meter, but they leave pin holes (most do, anyway) and didn't think they would measure moisture very deep in a block of wood - am I incorrect? I'm just starting to rough turn and store bowls for later finishing, myself, so I'm very interested in this discussion, too! Mike

Mike,
wood sheds moisture only throught the end grain. A moisture meter applied there is NOT going to leave any lasting scars.and should give an accurate measurement of overall moisture content.
Bob

[John Abt]

Mike,

I use a digital scale that I bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond for about $20. When I weigh my bowls, I use the grams setting (it makes the math easier). It also weighs in pounds so you can switch between the two systems.

John

[Mike Peace]

Thanks Guys for all the input on scales and drying.

[Scott Hubl]

Look on ebay, you'll find Postal scales that weigh up to certain weights. Mine will weigh up to 55 LBS.
There not that expensive a bunch are BIN or starting bids just under the BIN price.
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/6/9/8/9/4/8/webimg/142045173_o.jpg

Mine looks like this one, not from same seller though.
Heres a link $24.99 with Free shipping.
http://cgi.ebay.com/55-Lb-Postal-Shipping-Postage-Digital-Scale-52-50-W-AC_W0QQitemZ120285880350QQihZ002QQcategoryZ109753Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohost ing

[Greg Burnard]

Mike, Whatever "method of the day" I use for drying rough-turned bowls I still use a set of baby scales that I bought 45 years ago(for a different purpose)at Salvation Army (for $ 5.00) to check the weight. The scales have a large area to put the turning on.

Happy turning, Greg