Drying wood for woodturning

huskydog
huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
1000 Comments
edited July 2020 in Your Hobbies #1

I will shortly cutting down a Magnolia tree ,which has some useful size branches up to 8in thick ,what would be the best way to dry these out ? ,I know it takes some time , and not in a hurry to use them 

Comments

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #2

    There is plenty of info on line,cool

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2020 #3

    If that’s the case then we don’t need CT , as we can find everything out online tongue-out

    dont waste my time 

  • redface
    redface Forum Participant Posts: 1,701
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2021 #4

    Stick them in the shed for a couple of years then any wood not suitable for turning can be chopped up for firewood or kindling.

  • LLM
    LLM Forum Participant Posts: 1,555 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited January 2021 #5

    HD a few tips given to me by John Makepeace on the seasoning of wood.  

    It should be cut into sizes roughly as you would want for the finished product.  Remove the bark.

    It should be stored in a building (barn) allowing good ventilation and free from pervasive damp.

    It should be dried for at least seven years.  John collected masses of exotic woods from across the country felled by the 1987 storm; none was used for at least eight years.   

    Sorry I can't remember the ideal moisture level percentage.  

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2021 #6

    Thanks LLM 

  • LLM
    LLM Forum Participant Posts: 1,555 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited January 2021 #7

    I don't want to tell granny how to suck eggs but you do know that you can turn wood in it's green state; it depends what you want of the finished article.  Bodgers make some chair parts from green wood.

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited January 2021 #8

    I’ve made a few mushrooms for the garden from the “green logs” and as they’ve  dried some have split , but it adds to their character 

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
    1,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited January 2021 #9

    Absolutely correct LLM - I have a set of these, specifically designed for turning chair spindles from green ash - and if you can't get that, the trick is to leave seasoned wood to soak for 24 hrs.

Categories