I will be eternally interested in the science ….. no …… make that, ART of drying wood. I have tried most of the formulas like SOAP-ALCHOHOL-PLASTIC BAGS-SHAVINGS. The simplified results are:
SOAP: inconclusive, most seemed to work, but takes a big vat. Nice lubrication qualities.
ALCHOHOL: some success, liquid needs filtering after each soaking or staining can occur. Dangerous to store.
Kiln: I realized that my problem was not to create drying but to slow it. UTAH is very hot and dry. I rigged a shelf and wrapped it with visqueen (sp) and slit the front to make a door. Humidity stays at about 40%. The humidity is generated by the wood that is drying ….. duh! This is the best way to store wood in Utah that I have found.
Plastic bags: good protection, need to be opened often, promote mildew, takes to long.
Now I am wrapping large bowl blanks transversely with Saran wrap and sealing small pieces with paraffin. I use an old electric frying pan as a reservoir for the wax. Noticing mildew forming on the outer surfaces, may not be a problem on bowl blanks as it is turned away.
I will soon experiment with brown wrapping paper instead of plastic wrap to see if it solves the mildew problem
I was also surprised that a thinly turned and immediately finished bowl …. didn’t crack. Can it be that the finish helps seal the wood and slow down drying? I’l endeavor to prove this notion…..
I like your site. It looks like you have been turning for a while. I’ve been at it for just over a year. Great hobby. I’ve been thinking of building a kiln 2x4x4 or maybe 2x2x4. Insulated and lightbulb heated. From the Blue Grass region of KY.
Came across your website, and find it rather nice. On the drying, it does vary from region to region. I am in North Central Texas which is a high humidity region, and hot. I have a slightly large operation for my hobby/business. I have two solar kilns. Both 12′ long and 8′ in heighth. One is 3′ wide, and the other is 6′. I have both covered with heavy roofing metal, painted flat black. Both equipped with oven thermometers. They can get to about 160 in them. They are ventilated. After I rough out my blanks, for further drying, I coat them in either teak oil or danish oil. I do not ever use a top coat finish on any of my woodworking. Whether it is woodturnings, or furniture. Never seal wood for drying in plastic of any kind.