Drying wood and keeping it dry

[Blackstone]

I know it has be a while sense i has been on here, I have been trying to get some calls done for next year but I have been having trouble with the pots cupping on the lathe. I have a moisture meter and i know that 6% to 8% (at least that is what i have heard). Now for the problem all off my cherry has been steamed before i got it and it was dried to 6% to 7% but now some of it is at 10% to 15% i have also got some air dried walnut that has dried anywhere from 3 to 10 years and I am now haveing the same problem with it. How can I get this wood dry. I haven't got the time to build a kiln. I am going to try moving the wood to another garage to try and dry it there. Also the wood is anywhere from just under an inch to 2.75 thick. Any help would be great .

Thanks, Dustin Jones
Blackstone Custom Calls

[Gitzit69]

I've had good success drying wood in the microwave. You'll have to cut it down to a call blank size, then wrap it in a paper towel. Cook it on high for about 30 sec. Take it out and let it stand until it fairly cool turn it over and repeat. If you cook it to much at once it will warp and crack. The paper towel will absorb the moister as it comes out. Keep checking the moisture content until you get it below 10 percent. Let it sit for a few days before turning or working the wood. Sometimes it will warp or check, but it works 8 out of 10 times. I had some apricot wood last year that started out at 23% I used this method and had the call finished 4 days later. It's been a year  since it was finished and no cracks or broken glass on the pot. It's not ideal but it works.
Dave

[Blackstone]

sorry i forgot to tell you all that i build my call on a drill press to start with then turn the outside of them on a lathe so i have the wood cut in two foot long pieces so i can make 5 calls per board

[Ghost Maker Calls]

I usually keep my blanks in the house so the humidity level stays pretty constant between heating and using the A/C.  Wood that has been dried and stored in 99% relative humidity can hit an equillibrium moisture content as high as 23%.  You can put your blanks in the microwave for 30 seconds or so, let it cool then re-check the MC.  Cupping of wood is related to one of 2 things, MC too high or inner tension built in by the drying process.  To combat these 2 things, I make sure my equillibrium moisture content is under 9%  and I rough turn my calls, let them set for a few days then turn the final dimensions.  Turning twice allows the wood to release the tension in the wood fibers then you can turn the final dimensions after it is finished moving and it also allows some moisture to be released from the center of the wood.  Seems to have pretty much eliminated my cupping issues. 

[3CB]

I cut out blocks of wood to rough outside dimension using the band saw and table saw. Then put them in the attic or behind the wood stove. Then the block is cut to length and shape, hollowed out and placed on a shelf. Then all I have to do is tune to final internals. This can be done in less than a week with the outside temps we have right now!

[J.L. Erb]

I do not think that that moisture level, 10 to 15%, is the problem.

Most KD woods are delivered at around 12 to 14%, and are used everyday for pots and box calls.

I think the problem you are having lie's somewhere else in the process.

Ghost Maker has a good point on Stress of the inner wood, but at 12 or 15%, how much could it have??

Your moisture level must be higher I would think to warp and cup that prominently.

How far into the wood does your Moisture meter go, vs, how thick the blank is you are useing the meter on ??

[muddpuppi]

all good feedback...i have had the issues also and have had a pot warp that was at less than 8% moisture....heat from friction also can cause warpage....as far as dryin...depends on where ya a but i will seal my endgrain and stack em in the back of the car for a few days....done this wit some hickory that was 33 to 36% and in a week it was 12%...then i let it sit in the shop to stabilize a bit more....my shop has ac in it so it helps...but often if the wood is stored in a hot environment then brought in to a cooler one the pot will do strange things....

[Ghost Maker Calls]

Ghost Maker has a good point on Stress of the inner wood, but at 12 or 15%, how much could it have??

Your moisture level must be higher I would think to warp and cup that prominently.

When I was talking about stresses I was meaning it is a separate issue from having too high a moisture content in the wood.  I spoke a while back with a fellow by the name of Gene Wengert about the same problem.  Gene teaches courses on wood drying and kiln operation.  He said that multiple things can happen during the drying process depending upon how fast the wood is dried, where it was in the stack and what part of the tree it was cut from.  Even how the tree grew can put internal stress in the wood.  As the wood fibers dry they can twist and build up tension that is released unevenly when you hollow out a pot.  You have support on the bottom but you took that support away from the top portion, that's why the wood tends to cup, especially on flat sawn pieces with horizontal grain.  I first thought it was too high MC but tested the wood and it was around 9% to 10% so that is when I emailed Mr. Wengert. 9 times out of 10 I don't have a problem but it explains those batches of wood that just don't seem to do what you want them to.   I agree Jeff, I think it is something other than moisture that is causing him problems.  Turn em twice and see if that takes care of it.

[J.L. Erb]

I see what ya mean by stress, makes a lot of sense, good post, very helpful info. 

[M,Yingling]

Ive had good sucess with the microwave drying wood when i needed that one piece ,,Ilike to wrap mine in baggie with paper towel the first few times at 20 seconds then increase the time as it drys take from the baggie ,, ,,I like to cut blanks atleast 1/2 in over sized on the end grain ,,, Some woods will check easyer then others take it slow 

[Blackstone]

Thanks guys< i knew i could count on you guys to help me outOne last thing, how would you ever be able to tell if wood is stressed and is there any other was to get the stress out of the wood before you put it on the lathe or hollow it out on the drill press?

thanks again for all your help, Dustin Jones

[J.L. Erb]

No way of tellin ahead of time.

Are you harvesting your own wood, or buying it Kiln Dried and Q-sawn, which I believe, make the best pot's.

Some friction builders, will use nothing else but QS KD Lumber.

[Ghost Maker Calls]

Thanks guys< i knew i could count on you guys to help me outOne last thing, how would you ever be able to tell if wood is stressed and is there any other was to get the stress out of the wood before you put it on the lathe or hollow it out on the drill press?

thanks again for all your help, Dustin Jones

No way of knowing beforehand, that is why I just double turn all of my calls. 

[Blackstone]

No the walnut i have has been air dried outside under a big piece of metal from a barn roof and some is QS and some isn't it has been outside under the metal piece for at least ten years. I got it for a dollar a B/F and it was all 1.5 inches thick give or take a 1/4 inch in some pieces some have the heart of the tree in the piece and the grain has a U shape to it and the other is slab or QS  but i was wondering if the shape of the grain would make a difference?

[Blackstone]

here is what some of the walnut i have looks like