Thread: need help on drying wood for pens???

I read somewhere that a Microwave can be used sometimes ,by placing the piece in a plastic baggie ,weigh it accurately and use short bursts ,maybe 20-30 seconds ,weigh after each try till there is no more weight loss from the water being evaporated . Try it on a sample piece my memory of this process may be a bit vague so others may have better info , cheers and good luck, most pen blanks are longer than 4" unless for single pens like sierras and such .

Originally Posted by gawdelpus

my memory of this process may be a bit vague

Your memory isn't so bad John. I've used the method pretty much as you have described it and it worked well. That was on Macadamia not magnolia but it should work. I would cut it down smaller than 4"x4" before drying though. I cut the macadamia down to 20x20mm and about 10mm longer than the sierra tubes that I was using before drying.

cheers
WH

Thank you all for your replies.
CV

Definately cut the timber down to pen size, 4x4x4 will take many years to dry.

If using the microwave, try with only a couple of blanks first. Some timbers do not fare to well with microwaving, splitting from the inside, especially open grained timbers.

Another way is to minimise the timber to dry. Drill the inside of a blank to tube size less 1mm. Turn down the blank between centres so outside is final dia plus 4mm. Leave for 2 weeks then drill out center to correct dia, glue in tube, then turn down outside to final dia plus 1mm. Leave another 2 weeks then finish pen. Should make Xmas.

We (girlfriend turns pens so no complaints from her) use the kitchen oven. Drill the blanks with a small drill (smaller than the tubes that will go in) through and through if you can (not the end of the world if not drilled first) and put them in the oven with the light on only. In 2 or 3 days they should be dry enough to turn. If it isn't straight grained you can turn the light on for a few hours, a couple times each day, take a while longer and it shouldn't crack.

Pete