Roughed Out Bowls

[Tom Bucanan]

I am having trouble deciding where I should store and dry my rough turned bowls during the winter. I could either store them in an unheated but dry shed or in the heated garage? What do you guys do? I'm afraid of the bowl blanks freezing and cracking, but I'm also afraid that the heated garage may make them dry too quick. Any recommendations?

[Bernie Weishapl]

Tom I don't know how you do yours but I rough turn, soak 48 hrs. or so in DNA and wrap in a brown paper sack. I then keep them inside in the coolest part of my building. I have a room that stays about 66 deg. I have had some crack a couple of years ago leaving them to dry in a unheated building during the winter as we get down towards zero. Not a expert by any means but just my experience.

[Tom Bucanan]

I also do the DNA soak technique similar to yours. It definitely gets down below zero where I live. So, you would recommend that I leave them inside where it is heated over outside where it is freezing? I don't know which one is worse?

[John Hart]

Tom,
I have a cabinet that stays pretty well stable, humidity-wise. The shop is cold except when I'm working in there and it'll get down below freezing. Haven't noticed much problem with that. In fact, some folks will suggest that freezing is a good thing.
The paper bag that Bernie is using will also set up a humidity stable environment.
I wouldn't suggest the heated house though. Heat is not your friend, when drying rough turnings.
Maybe a breezeway or mudroom? Or an unheated closet?

[Dale Gregory]

The club president gave me a bowl turning lesson to get me started. He told me to just find a big box (like the size of a 19" or 25" TV). Just pile them in there, walk away for 3-6 months, keeping the lid closed and they will dry slow and even. So far it's working for me and I keep them in the basement at around 68F.

Dale

[Bob Hallowell]

It's funny cause differnet things work for different people. I also dna and wrap in paper but I stick mine behind our tv by the wood burner and it works good for me 3 weeks and I can finish turn them.

Bob

[John Hart]

That's amazing Bob! I would love to be that successful with heat. For some reason, I'm crack-proned near heat. I must be doing something wrong.

[William Bachtel]

Heres what you do: Ruff turn, then coat all surfaces with anchorseal ( l-800-end coat) Store in a cool relatively dry area for 3 to 6 months, then move into home or shop area, not to heated. I have only lost one or two bowls out of hundreds. I also like to cut all my trees in the winter when the sap run in down in the ground and not up in the tree. This means less water in the bowl blank or wood. The bowls that I did lose were cut to close to the pith.