Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
soaking research question
ken chase
>Seems there are many methods of soaking bowls. Can anyone recommend a book or other source that covers the subject in detail?
I soak in alcohol but just reading on the board about detergent and oil methods. I'm really curious now as this is all new.
Thanks
Re: soaking research question
Ed in No.VA
>Many of us used detergent before alcohol. The Norfork Island Pine turners seem to prefer the soap. The soak in linseed is to make the NI Pine translucent. The detergent is messy and alcohol has better drying charactoristics in my opinion. As an aside Norfork Island Pine is not a pine but a member of the Aracaria family Norfork Island is in the South Pacific so it's natural range is in that area.
Re: soaking research question
Jim King
>Ken: This is an interesting option. I use it every day and have reduced the cracking to almost nothing. I have many times let the roughed out pieces boil into the night several hours until the fire goes out. The longer the better I think , three or four hours has given us great pieces that dry extremly fast. I post this on our web site as interesting info for the turners. http://www.exoticwoodworld.com/boilingwood.html
Re: soaking research question
ken chase
>thanks for the info. Is it correct to assume for most woods I'm likely to work with the oil soaking is unnecessary and it best to stick to the alcohol just to facilitate drying?
Re: soaking research question
ken chase
>Thank you James. I will read your notes with great interest and appreciation.
Re: soaking research question
RevDoug
>Ken, the soaking in oil is a finishing process, not a drying process.
Turn 'em round,
RevDoug
