Thread: Uneven drying and what to do with it.

Alister, a couple of ideas for you to consider. Rough turn to about 19mm thick then use the microwave, or, put the rough turned bowl into a box of shavings for six months. Alternatively put the rough turned bowl into a plastic bag for a week then take it out and replace it into the bag after the bag is turned inside out. In both cases, weigh the blank on a fortnight basis until there is no more loss of weight. This will give you some time to consider what to do for a final shape.

Don't try to microwave the solid block, it will develop internal cracks that may test your resolve..

Jim

Thanks, Jim.

So you think that going ahead and rough turning with the wet spots will work out OK? I was thinking that there would be some extra stresses with the uneven moisture?

Alister.

If you can finish in one go -to final form & you don't have a microwave - then use thin CA glue as a sealer (3 coats).
Rub back between coats with 600 grit. The piece will not crack, but it may warp. Warping is attractive. You can then final finish as you require.
Hope this helps - works for me. Beware of fumes from CA. Drillit.

Thanks, Drillit.

I will go ahead and turn it, see what happens and decide what to do then. It will be experience for me and not much loss if it ends up in the wheelie bin.

Alister.

Interested to find out what the results you get.

I have one piece that is in the same position as the one you have. I rough turned it and brown paper bagged it with the savings.

Christos,
You asked me to report progress with the uneven drying. Not going too good. I rough turned the bowl, but perhaps a bit thin. I sucked 154gm of water out of a 988gm blank in the microwave and it started to go really oval, so I put it back on the lathe.

The previous time I had turned this Paperbark, it went oval too and I had forgotten that. This tree had spent all its life with its feet in water and this bit of it had been cut months ago and left with a cut end in wet sand, so it was full of it! More water, more shrinkage I suppose.

Anyhow, I have had another cut at it, and will probably end up with something a bit bigger than a lolly dish! I find that oval things are harder to turn than out of round blanks, and this wood is fairly hard when it is dry and tears out easily (for me). Instead of that even chhhhh sound, I get chh chh and feel a little tug on the gouge when I tear a piece out. That is with what I call a sharp gouge – might need to be sharper, and a light touch.

Maybe I should have done what Drillit said. I think I woulld have got warp, all right.

Oh well, it is all experience. I still have to go to the local Woodturners Guild to see how it is done properly.

Cheers,
Alister.

It seems that it has not turned out too good.

It is a bit like the Curates egg "On the contrary Sir, it is quite good in parts!" When it has a bit more WOP on it I will post a photo. The outside came up fairly well, but the inside is a bit rough with some tearout that I could quite not get rid of. You know, the next cut might be one cut too many problem.

Actually, the drying might have been successful - just the wood and my ability might be the main factors.

Cheers,
Alister.