# Woodturning and Moisture content



## Mlyle (Apr 9, 2019)

Anyone have any experience with microwaving wood turnings to lower
moisture content
or any other ways to slow down checking and remove moisture

I know this is the age old quest......


mlyle


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## Karl_TN (Apr 9, 2019)

Here's my microwave steps when I'm in impatient to get a piece dried: 

Wrap the bowl in saran wrap before microwaving. 
Microwave piece at low power until hot (60% power around 3 to 4 minutes) then let bowl cool down. 
Repeat heating cycle several times
Then cut opening in saran wrap to insert a paper towel to wipe out excess water.
Keep repeating the heating cycle and wiping out the water each time until it loses a bit of water. 
Finally the remove saran wrap and finish drying out using low power cycles. Don't get it too hot with the saran wrap off or else the bowl could start cracking. 
Other options for speed drying:

Boil your rough turned blanks about an hour per inch of thickness can help lower drying times (cuts it almost in half) and lessens some cracking. Just be aware that you still might need to seal the end grain on woods that are prone to cracking like red oak. 
Put turning in a plastic back full of dried rice or desiccant beads. When done then bake the dried rice or desiccant beads at a low temperature to dry it back out. Read about this suggestion, but haven't tried it myself.
DIY Kiln made from an old freezer or dishwasher. 

Vacuum Kiln is one of the fastest drying options, but cost more and requires more DIY building skills. See https://www.instructables.com/id/Vacuum-Kiln-or-Atomic-Bomb-you-decide/
Personally, I've gone to using a homemade kiln heated by red heat lamp bulbs. This way I can dry many turnings at once (both large and small) so I can get back to turning instead of monitoring a microwave or boiling pot.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nubsnstubs (Apr 9, 2019)

Karl_TN said:


> Here's my microwave steps when I'm in impatient to get a piece dried:
> 
> *Rule #1. make sure your wife will be gone for a few hours, then proceed with your quest.....*
> 
> ...




I fixed it for you, Karl.......... Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Agree 3 | Funny 4


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## Mlyle (Apr 9, 2019)

I do not worry about the wife.......since i have no wifey.....
and the girlfriend insistd i get the V-8 off the kitchen table 
before she gets there on sundays.

thanks Karl......

right now i have been nuking a piece of yew in the MicroW for 15 sec. with loss of 10 grams # per.
But i need a new battery for my moisture meter to check moisture content.


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## Mlyle (Apr 9, 2019)

I hve tried boiling wood before with no result at all cept the piece got uglier and stunk......


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## DKMD (Apr 9, 2019)

The only microwave drying I’ve done has been for thin turnings made from things like madrone burl... it’s very cool to watch them distort and wrinkle up while drying.


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## Karl_TN (Apr 9, 2019)

Mlyle said:


> I hve tried boiling wood before with no result at all cept the piece got uglier and stunk......



Do you recall what kind of wood it was? I always boil wood outside using a turkey fryer. Next time try add some lemon juice or a little liquid potpourri to the water if the smell is that bad.


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## duncsuss (Apr 10, 2019)

Mlyle said:


> right now i have been nuking a piece of yew in the MicroW for 15 sec. with loss of 10 grams # per.
> But i need a new battery for my moisture meter to check moisture content.



Since you are able to measure weight in grams, I don't think you need a moisture meter ... jot down the weight after each 15 second blast, and you'll see the weight loss reduces slightly each time, as there is less and less water to remove from the wood. When it stops losing water for 2 cycles is when I stop nuking it.

It will probably catch fire if you try to remove more water than is there. DAMHIKT.

Reactions: Funny 1


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