How dry should it be?

[Ellie Delgado]

Posts: 1460 Loc: Redding, Ca. USA

How dry should it be? #7036282 - 06/17/15 11:05 AM Edit Reply Quote

This Chestnut is a small sapling that we cut down from my great grandparents homestead in New Jersey that they built after the Civil War. I would like to make a few pens for my relatives back there. My cousin is in his upper 80's so I can't wait too long. I don't know what the percentage should be on the meter for turning. It is now at 37% . So, what should the meter read and is there a way to speed this up? I live where it is in the triple digits for days at a time so could put it outside if that would work better. Thank you very much, Ellie Chestnut.jpg

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

it should be as dry as possible. Kiln dried would be best.

[Rick Gibson]

I would cut them a little long and dry in the microwave. 3 minutes on defrost let cool to room temp. and repeat. My pin type moisture meter stops at 7% so when it doesn't read any more I stop. Test when cool because it will read high if the piece is hot. Not sure how it would work with the pith in there likely crack pretty bad. If you try this take the bark off first. The pieces don't look big enough to cut in half and get rid of the pith but you might try drilling it out on one piece and then redrill after dry to the size you need. I usually do 5 or 6 blanks at a time when I do this. Don't leave the area when microwaving and have a bucket of water nearby and if they start to smoke toss them in the water. They will start to burn from the inside out if they get to hot. Oh and don't use the wife's microwave. DAMHIKT.

[Ellie Delgado]

The microwave idea sounds good. I'll take it easy with it and just do it a couple of times to start. I don't know how much pith it has. Thank you for the advice.

[Mark Greenbaum]

Why did you cut it down - those American Chestnut trees are extinct, and very difficult to have grow more than a foot tall?

Posts: 1460 Loc: Redding, Ca. USA

How dry should it be? #7036282 - 06/17/15 11:05 AM Edit Reply Quote

This Chestnut is a small sapling that we cut down from my great grandparents homestead in New Jersey that they built after the Civil War. I would like to make a few pens for my relatives back there. My cousin is in his upper 80's so I can't wait too long. I don't know what the percentage should be on the meter for turning. It is now at 37% . So, what should the meter read and is there a way to speed this up? I live where it is in the triple digits for days at a time so could put it outside if that would work better. Thank you very much, Ellie Chestnut.jpg

[Bob Dupras]

37% is too wet. For pen blanks, I've dried them in the microwave. Just don't go too fast. Maybe 30 seconds at a time max. I wrap mine in a paper towel. You'll really see how much moisture comes out. I'm not sure how the paint will handle the microwave though.

I've never made pens from branches like that though. Those will have a pith in them for sure, but maybe it will drill out.

[Ellie Delgado]

Great grandparents place. There are jillions of them out there so just took part of one so the folks could have something from the old place which is overgrown and nothing but the foundation left in the ground.

[Ellie Delgado]

Yeah, I agree, too wet. Just wanted to try to get something from it for my relatives. They said it will probably be the last time up there. It is about a mile hike into the woods and they are getting older. They, heck, they weren't even winded on the slight incline that the trail (and I use that term loosely). I'm probably barking up the wrong tree but just wanted to make something from the old place for them.

[Ron Rutter]

Branches seem to react differently. May not split at all. You can take a 2-3" diameter branch & cut it into 1/4" medallions & they won't split!! The wood is very dense. Ron.

[William Bachtel]

Don't rush it with the micowave, don't try and do it all in one day. Hit it a couple times in the over and then rest it over nite. That will avoid cracks. Being thin already it should dry good. When it starts to get dry the bark should start to fall off, because 37 % in a lot of water. Hopefully your oven has a turner in it. When you are getting no more moisture on the inside of the over then you are getting close, to being dry. In my oven I could dry that in 6 or 7 times in the oven, over 3 days. 2 times to day. Hope this helps. Remember don't RUSH IT

[Ellie Delgado]

I think that not rushing is important to keep in mind. Given that I will not have another chance to go clear across country for a while, this is too precious to mess up! Thank you for reminding me of that.

[Bruce Pratt]

If you do a pen and the wood is not sufficiently dry, the wood will shrink (and crack) after you put brass in and turn it (usually the next day...).

Cut your blanks to length, make them a bit oversized, ~1" x 1", leave the pith in (or not), and drill a slightly undersized hole where the brass would go. After the blank is completely dry, re-drill and proceed as normal. If you do a several blanks at the same time, you can weigh them in bulk and track the aggregate weight loss as a measure of dryness, just like with a bigger bowl blank.