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a better way to dry? (Read 3159 times)

Douglas_The_Black

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a better way to dry?
Sep 25^th, 2005 at 3:03pm

when i was making my cross bow stock i wanted to make a rough draft of it before hand, so i took a small log of the same kind of wood, that was cut at the same time and still wet. I shaved off all the bark and carved in the stock shape happy with it, i just let it sit outside. Its been a few months since the last time i looked at it so i picked it up today thinking i could make a club out of it.

it had this brownish black stuff dotted all over the side that was on the ground, but other wise it was still pretty clean the stuff was only "skin" deep and guess what no cracks to be seen! I did not do any thing to it just let it sit outside and it seems to be just fine.

while the log i used for the stock is still drying in the hot trunk of my car. it has glue on the ends still has the bark on and every thing, but it is starting to get small cracks on one side.

maybe letting the log sit outside let the log dry more evenly but i have no clue why it dryed faster. Anyway what do you think? is there a disadvantage to letting it dry outside and without bark that i have not found out yet?

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Curious Aardvark

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Re: a better way to dry?
Reply #1 - Sep 26^th, 2005 at 7:28am

it's mold :-)
Logs that are left exposed to the elements in damp environs don't tend to dry out fast enough to warp (crack) but they will always go moldy :-)

What wood is it as different woods warp in different ways and at different speeds. Generally the denser the wood the more evenly it dries - but there's no hard and fast rule. My most successfully seasoned wood is actually leylandei - one of the softest and fastest growing woods around. I 'carefully' dumped a few logs a neighbour had cut in my woodturning shed and left it. no cracks and dried out perfectly. Whereas the apple I left outside dried seriously fast and split to the point of total uselessness.

I have tables of what woods warp in what ways in various books - which wood are you using ?

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slingbadger

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Re: a better way to dry?
Reply #2 - Sep 26^th, 2005 at 12:07pm

Also, the trunk of the car was probably too warm, and dried it out too fast. Also, you need good air circulation to dry wood. What I do is place long branches (debarked) in my garage rafters. It provide the heat from simple solar heating, gets air circulation, and protects the wood from the elements. I have had great success with this. Rarely do I have a wood split .

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Castle7 Senior Member Offline I'm on fire today!! Posts: 453 GR, Michigan Gender:	Re: a better way to dry? Reply #3 - Sep 26^th, 2005 at 3:04pm Quote: it's mold I told ya DTB. I was right!! (We chatted in the chat room the other day)
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Douglas_The_Black Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Hakkaa päälle! Posts: 3491 Salineville Ohio Gender:	Re: a better way to dry? Reply #4 - Sep 26^th, 2005 at 3:28pm haha its locust and its the same size and thickness as the other logs in my trunk, its from the same tree haha some people said to let the logs dry in my car trunk, and i did and it seems to work only a little cracks. now people are telling me something diffrent.
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Curious Aardvark

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Re: a better way to dry?
Reply #5 - Sep 28^th, 2005 at 7:07am

well traditional drying advice from my wood books says to leave bark on, stack the wood outside covered by a sheet or tarpaulin and seperate the logs with batons.
By putting them in an enclosed place like a car trunk you're essentially creating a drying kiln which unless you get it exactly right will dry things much too quickly.
All woodturners not only leave the bark on but also seal the ends of the logs with either wax or cheap thick paint to stop it drying out too quickly.

Locust - that's the type of tree is it ?
I'll go and see if that's in any of my books.

(a short while later :-)
Can't find the book with the warp tables in it, but basically all the drying advice is to stack it outside in a shaded area if you've got one, seperate logs with batons and seal the ends. Average drying time is between 6 months and 18 months. depending on the density of the wood. Commarcially logs are pre cut into planks before being stacked and a heavy weight is placed on the top of the stack to help avoid excessive warping.
There are also some woodturners who turn a wet item and then dry it out in the microwave. Never tried it myself as I primarily turn commercially seasoned timber (it's who you know :-)
Anyway hope that helps.
[url]http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/forestry/g314.htm[/url]
This might help. :-) That locust looks like tough wood.

Do All things with Honour and Generosity: Regret Nothing, Envy None, Apologise Seldom and Bow your head to No One - works for me

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ben_banned Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Posts: 1272 Gender:	Re: a better way to dry? Reply #6 - Sep 28^th, 2005 at 7:24pm Quote: haha some people said to let the logs dry in my car trunk, and i did and it seems to work only a little cracks. oops sorry
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Smudge Senior Member Offline Sticks and stones WILL brake your bones. Posts: 334 everywhere Gender:	Re: a better way to dry? Reply #7 - Sep 28^th, 2005 at 7:59pm I've just always covered the ends with glue and let the wood dry bark or no bark.
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Douglas_The_Black Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Hakkaa päälle! Posts: 3491 Salineville Ohio Gender:	Re: a better way to dry? Reply #8 - Sep 30^th, 2005 at 7:37am no problem
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ben_banned Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Posts: 1272 Gender:	Re: a better way to dry? Reply #9 - Oct 1^st, 2005 at 3:22pm covering the ends with glue shouldnt do any thing since the ussusally cracks from the center
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Smudge Senior Member Offline Sticks and stones WILL brake your bones. Posts: 334 everywhere Gender:	Re: a better way to dry? Reply #10 - Oct 2^nd, 2005 at 11:47am Checking occurs when water leaves the wood faster from the ends than from the middle of it. That is why the ends of the wood start to split. If you cover the ends of the wood with glue, the water wont leave the piece so quickly, this prevents checking.
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Douglas_The_Black Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Hakkaa päälle! Posts: 3491 Salineville Ohio Gender:	Re: a better way to dry? Reply #11 - Oct 3^rd, 2005 at 7:03pm i am surprised that english has not yet posted.
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Smudge Senior Member Offline Sticks and stones WILL brake your bones. Posts: 334 everywhere Gender:	Re: a better way to dry? Reply #12 - Oct 3^rd, 2005 at 9:54pm Where has he gotten to?, I haven't heard his helpful advice for a while now...
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