Latset turnings and drying fridge

[benji79]

Hi guys, here are a few of my latest projects.

The first one is a CL bowl, its thin enough that you can see the light through it when held up to the light. Got about 20 cuts on my knuckles from the edge every time the sandpaper dug in.

The second is a bowl I cut myself and dried. Dont know what wood it is but want more. I think I remember where I got it. :doh:

Third Is my first go at a vase. Went ok. Its going to my Nan for chrissy.

[benji79]

Next is my fridge set up. i put a dimmer switch on the side with a 100W globe and a small 240v fan.

I drilled a heap of 25mm holes between the fridge and freezer sections and put a few 10mm holes in the top and bottom for fresh air.

I tried it with a digital thermometer and at full ball it got to 70 degrees overnight. Turned it down and its now sitting at around 35 degrees. Is this still to hot??

Do I have to take the wax off the wood in this thing or can i just throw it in?

Second pic is of the wood I'm going to dry.

Third pic is of my little mate who watches me work.

Benji

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I'd say 35°C is still a tad too hot, 30°C would be better. I'd hazard a guess and say it's still acceptable though... a quick test is to cut a pen-blank or small 2cm(ish) thick slab from a green log of fairly "stable" timber and see how it goes. If it starts checking, too hot for that particular timber.

I'll also suggest swapping out the 100W bulb and dimmer for a 25W or 40W bulb... cheaper to run over the long haul. You can always replace the dimmer or move to a hotter bulb if needed.

As for removing the wax, that depends on the wood. For most woods I'd remove it but with some, such as fruitwoods which tend to check if you even look at 'em wrong, I'd leave 'em waxed. Really, the ones that I'd leave waxed I wouldn't run through a drying cabinet anyway, 'cos slow and easy is the trick with them. :shrug: Still, if you must run 'em through the cabinet, I'd re-adjust the temp so it's only a couple of degrees above ambient temp for that particular batch.

All the above is just generalisations, mind. Different timbers seem to have different personalities and like different temps. :rolleyes: It makes for an interesting learning experience. :D

[DJ’s Timber]

Dont know what wood it is but want more.

I don't know what it is either but I want some too

Nice work :2tsup:

[hughie]

Second pic is of the wood I'm going to dry.



Benji,

The blanks look alot like blanks from Tassie. If so they will be extremely wet. So ambient is the way to go, no draughts, no sunlight. I scraped a small portion of the wax off to assist. Only one failed with horrendous splitting.

:C 9x9x3 blank became tooth pick holders......:no: .. nice ones tho' :U

For the most part I put mine in the coolest part of the garage on the concrete floor in cardboard boxes for up to a year.

Those that I could not resist playing with, I roughed em out and soaked for about three months in a 50/50 soap/water. Air dried for about 4-6 weeks then finished them. So far so good with them.





Third pic is of my little mate who watches me work.

:U got one very similar.

[dai sensei]

Nice ones Benji.

PS: That bowl burl looks like White Top (alias stribgy bark)

[rsser]

Nice work Benji.

2nd one? Some kinda yewkie burl?

Yeah, I've got a little helper like yours too. She thinks she's human. Sure gets treated like one ;-}

[ss_11000]

PS: That bowl burl looks like White Top (alias stribgy bark)
i thought so to...

very nice work Benji. i'm sure your nan will love the vase.

cheers