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Peter_I
9th September 2002, 03:05 PM
I have a very wet piece of hardwood burl. It's completely coated in wax. Should I rough turn it green or allow it to dry first. If I need to let it dry, should I remove the wax?

Kev Y.
9th September 2002, 04:11 PM
Peter, if the burl is "completly" covered in wax it may not dry at all. I assume that a burl is like most other timber, it needs some part of the grain structure exposed to the air. if possable leave the wax on the face of your burl, and remove it from the bark side.

usually green/wet timber will take at least 1 year for every inch of thickness to dry.

Kev.

ptc
9th September 2002, 05:34 PM
if you can not wait 12months try the microwave

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p.t.c

Marshall Gorrow
10th September 2002, 04:20 AM
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<blockquote>I have a very wet piece of hardwood burl. It's completely coated in wax. Should I rough turn it green or allow it to dry first. If I need to let it dry, should I remove the wax?</blockquote>


It would surely take a long time to dry in the blank form covered with wax. Probably, it would be several years. If you removed the wax it would probably badly check before drying. (And still take several years to completely dry)


You can turn it to a finished, thin piece and let it warp. This is not bad for natural edged pieces.


You can rough turn it with a thickness equal to 1/10 of the diameter and wait 3 or 4 months to finish turn. This is probably the best approach if you want the finished turning to be round and true. Depending on the wood and how it dries, you may want to coat the end grain areas with Anchorseal or wax to avoid checking. There is also boiling, freezing, and bagging in brown paper grocery bags.


If you do decide to microwave, I have be information on the procedure for drying rough turned bowls at my <a href="mgorrow.tripod.com/microwave.html">website</a>. You can also finish turn and use the microwave. There are also links to other microwave drying techniques.


Marshall Gorrow

<a href="mgorrow.tripod.com/">mgorrow.tripod.com/</a>
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