microwave drying question

Re: microwave drying question

John Trant (Baltimore/DC area)

>I also do not have a scale. When I use this method, I microwave it until the wrapping I use to surrond the vessel is no longer damp. Patience is key for this method designed for the impatient turner. Do not try to dry the wood in one or a few bursts.

John

Re: microwave drying question

Mike Swain

>Hello Ken,

I'm in the UK and I use simple kitchen scales with a digital readout, these weigh in grams and are very accurate.

As regards cost, the ones I use cost me less than $10, they come with a bowl or you can remove this and use the platform, I've found them to be very easy to use and ideally susited for microwave drying.

Regards....Mike Swain RPT

www.creative-woodturning.com

Re: microwave drying question

ken chase

>Thanks John:

I have not wrapped the bowl in the microwave. The directions I followed did not suggest that. I did place it on a paper towel and noted slight moisture.

Do you wrap the piece in paper towels or enclose it in a paper bag? Have you been successful doing this?

Ken

Re: microwave drying question

JL

>Kitchen scales work, mail scales work. They can be had for under $50. I use my wife's kitchen scale (don't tell her) - it reads in lbs or grams. Try ebay, "Bed, Bath and Beyond" - chain store, or a kitchen supply store.

Yes

John Trant (Baltimore/DC area)

>Yes to all questions

I wrap it in paper towels or place it in a paper bag during microwaving and cool down. It is the only method that has been successful in my hands.

John

Re: microwave followup question

ken chase

>A little survey...if you please.

Which method is the most popular,

alcohol soak or microwave drying?

Thanks

Re: microwave drying question

Ric Taylor

>Ken,

See my response below to your question a few days ago. I don't mess around with weighing, it's not necessary. After a couple of weeks of microwaving, the grocery bag will come out of the microwave bone dry, and the wood inside the bag is bone dry too. No weighing is necessary.

Ric

Re: microwave drying question

ken chase

>Sorry Rick I couldn't locate your earlier post.

Couple weeks? Please explain further. The piece I dried last night dried in a few hours. I left it in the microwave for one minute then out to dry for a half hour. The repeated the process about four times. When I turned the piece to completion today it certainly behaved like dry wood.

Thanks for all your help

Re: microwave drying question

Brad Vietje

>Ken,

I usually only microwave small items, and not very thick. I either wrap in paper towels, or just set the piece on a small square that has been folded twice, so I get 4 layers. I use the brownish paper towels made from recycled paper, and any moisture shows up very easily -- damp areas look much darker. This is harder to see with white PT's but you can still feel the moisture. No scale, at least yet, just the brown paper towels.

I usually get the thing pretty dry in 6 to 8 short sessions with cooling between. Usually in one evening. Heavier or thicker pieces take longer, but I've dried an 8" by 1/2" thick Sugar Maple bowl in no more than 2 days or so.

Safe Spinning,

Brad Vietje

Thetford, VT

Alcohol

Carole in VA

>Use Weight Watchers Scales. (Obviously I have NOT been using them for their intended purpose!)

Re: microwave drying question

ken chase

>Thanks Brad. So I take it you have been successful using the mocrowave. I think I much prefer it to waiting several months to finish a piece.

Ken

Re: microwave drying question

JamieDonaldson

>Microwave question- what purpose does the wrapping paper or bag serve? I seldom use this shortcut since I smoked a piece in the "wife's" microwave and kitchen!!!

Re: microwave drying question

Ric Taylor

>The bag gives a positive indication that moisture is still coming out of the wood. It also traps any other fluids, like sap, etc. to keep them from staining or otherwise messing up your significant other's microwave.

If smoke or fire is present, there is either too much power or the power is on for too long. Set it on the defrost cycle for no more than 5 or 6 minutes, and don't do that more than once an hour. The wood heats up from the inside out, and it takes a long time for the center portion of the wood to cool down.

Ric

Re: microwave drying question

Ric Taylor

>I'll email a copy to you.

Ric