freezing timber

[paul collins]

ok here is my two bobs worth.couple of years ago my neighbour felled a camphour laurel tree,i took a piece straight away,turned it into a plate.i then put one coat of oil on it & stuck it in the freezer for 3 days.then every other day for 2 weeks took it out,turned the bag inside out.never had any movement when i finally finished it.dont know how well it will work with other timber,but the camphor was fine,done it since with camphour & same results.:)

[TTIT]

I'm just having my first try at freezing timber. I'm trying to find a way of stopping the heartwood of Australian Ebony from cracking once the thick layer of sapwood is sawn off. So far, soaking in metho, soaking in water and sealing with Mobilcer have all failed. The only thing that has stopped it from splitting is sealing with wax but it's not losing weight either and the idea is to speed up the drying process so I can use the stuff. I froze a chunk for 2 weeks, let it sit in the fridge for a couple of days and it's now been out in the air for 2 days with no cracking YET. Time will tell :shrug:

[echnidna]

try boiling it, an hour per inch thickness

[neilb]

I have used this method with good success with a variety of timbers when I am using green wood for woodturning especially for bowls and clock blanks.
1. Weigh the piece of wood accurately on the SHMBO's kitchen scales.:C
2. Note the weight and write it down.
3. put wood inside a plastic grocery bag and tie it up.
4. Put in freezer.
5. Dont tell SHMBO.

Leave it in the freezer for one week and then take it out and weigh it again. Compare this weight to the original and it should be less. Put in back into the freezer and weigh it every day at the same time. Each time you weigh it the weight should be lower. When it has stopped getting lighter, usually around the 2 week mark, its ready to work with. :2tsup:

[Tony Morton]

Hi All

The theory of freezing timber is that freezing expands the water in the cells and breaks them usually 1 week in freezer in a plastic bag, then ine week in the fridge out of the bag water is then dried out or dehydrated and you have seasoned timber or greatly reduced moisture content.

Cheers Tony

[BazzaDLB]

Can anybody confirm that soaking timber in a 50/50 mixture of dishwashing liquid and water overnight also prevents blanks from cracking.
Read it somewhere but haven't tried it.
Ive been thinking about making a small kiln utilising a dehumidifier and fan but maybe there is a more convenient and simpler method....

[tea lady]

I think soaking in dish washing liquid would be akin to soaking in glycerin, which is a big component of it. I think it just fills wood pores with more viscose water so will dry out slower. Florists stand gum leaf branches in glycerin and leaves do not go brown. Not sure it would help in drying out green timber.

[ss_11000]

Can anybody confirm that soaking timber in a 50/50 mixture of dishwashing liquid and water overnight also prevents blanks from cracking.
Read it somewhere but haven't tried it.
Ive been thinking about making a small kiln utilising a dehumidifier and fan but maybe there is a more convenient and simpler method....
read thru these two threads.
http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=30738&highlight=soap

http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=32081&highlight=soap

[BazzaDLB]

Stirlo,
Thanks for the threads - made interesting reading.
Now I'll have to visit the supermarket and stock up on concentrate.
Will be an interesting experiment.
Thanks again

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Welcome to yet another addiction... :U

[joe greiner]

Freeze-drying timber: Go to http://www.google.com/patents
Enter 5852880

A few other wood-drying patents I've collected: 2387595, 3811200, 4466198, 4620373, 6634118.

Expired patents (> 20 years old) are fair game. Patents may also expire due to non-payment of maintenance fees. According to my imperfect understanding, in most jurisdictions, private use for non-commercial purposes is a valid defence against an infringement action, regardless of expiry status.

Joe