The Woodturning Forum - Woodturner's Resource - Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ?

Jim Ratliff WR Noob Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 7	Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ? 04/02/12 at 10:25:04 I live in southern Arizona where the humidity is so low that most wood is extremely dry. Is there a way or method to rehydrate the wood for turning? Is it safe to turn if in the single digit range for hydration? Thanks
Back to top	IP Logged

Larry Matchett WR Supporter Offline Be One with your Tool! Posts: 944 Gender:	Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ? Reply #1 - 04/02/12 at 10:33:37 Nothing wrong with turning dry wood. You won't have to deal with warping and cracking issues. I have found that green wood is easier to turn but....... Once wood looses the moisture out of the cells I don't think there is a way to make the wood green again. About the same process as bones.
Back to top	IP Logged

Scott Wheeler

WR Supporter

Offline

The wood on the wathe
goes wound & wound

Posts: 1471

Gender: male

Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ?
Reply #2 - 04/02/12 at 10:36:29

I don’t think I would try to re-hydrate wood I believe you will create more problems than you solve mold, warping, splitting ect…… You can turn wood that has moisture content in the single digits, I turned a dry piece of Maple burl yesterday. Your tools need to be sharp/sharper and take lighter cuts than with wet wood. With wet wood the moisture will lubricate the tool.

Back to top

IP Logged

Breck Whitworth

WR Supporter

Offline

WR Rocks!

Posts: 1350

Gender: male

Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ?
Reply #3 - 04/02/12 at 12:25:23

Jim I have to agree that rehydrating wood can open up a new can of worms, I have had wood so dry and ancient that it was almost impossible to get anything out of it because of the multitude of cracks and checks through out the old stump wood. But it turned no different than most, it just was too old to get what I wanted from it as to a finish look.

Back to top

May the Lord Bless the work of our hands! And Necessity is the mother of invention:

IP Logged

Jim Bianco Full Member Offline Posts: 87	Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ? Reply #4 - 04/02/12 at 17:49:12 the dry wood is now stable, perfect for turning. wetting or rehydrating it can cause problems. wher in AZ are you. I'm in tucson.
Back to top	IP Logged

Vaughn McMillan WR Addict Offline Does this nose make me look fat? Posts: 3794 Gender:	Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ? Reply #5 - 04/02/12 at 19:25:10 It's my understanding that when wood dries, the walls of the cells change in such a way that they can no longer retain moisture like they did when the tree was fresh. So you could maybe soak a chunk of wood and get it wet throughout, but it still wouldn't respond the way fresh wood does.
Back to top	IP Logged

JimQuarles WR Administrator WR Patron Online WR Rocks, BIG Time! Posts: 10909 Gender:	Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ? Reply #6 - 04/02/12 at 21:38:38 Jim, What part of AZ are you in? I'm in Phoenix area, and we have a bunch of members here (6 others within 5 miles of me) and several around the Tucson area. Fill in your profile so we know where your are, there might be another member right around the corner from you.
Back to top	« Last Edit: 04/02/12 at 21:38:54 by JimQuarles » Mentor Basics, Pens, small stuff, Acrylics, EasyRougher. Just Turnin' Around! Glendale, AZ "Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before." - Steven Wright IP Logged

Jim Ratliff

WR Noob
Offline

WR Rocks!

Posts: 7

Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ?
Reply #7 - 04/03/12 at 12:12:34

Thanks everyone for the responses. Sounds like sharp tools and light cuts are the ticket for turning AZ desert dry wood. I understand about finding wood without cracks. The wood I have is Mesquite and Ironwood, nice small pieces without cracking. I will give them a try and see what "turns" up. Since we have an abundant supply of both types of wood, practice shouldn't be too expensive.

Jim and Jim, I live on the south side of Tucson.

Back to top

IP Logged

Dale Gillaspy

WR Supporter

Offline

Turning Designer Firewood

Posts: 1117

Gender: male

Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ?
Reply #8 - 04/04/12 at 07:03:19

You don't want to turn that stuff. Send it up here to Phx, and I will take it off your hands for you.

Seriously, I'm one of the guys that lives near Jim. I turn very dry Mesquite all the time. Nothing wrong with it, it just dulls toos in a hurry. Right now I am working on a 9" hollow form, and it is taking a ton of time because I have to keep sharpening the cutting tip. Just keep your tools sharp and don't get real aggressive, especially with the Ironwood. Use respiratory protection because the fine dust can be injurious over the long run.

The good thing about Mesquite and Ironwood is that 1, they give you a beautiful project when you are done. Even the plain grains are beautiful, and 2, if they develop cracks, they lend them selves to fillers quite nicely and don't look out of place. I use Turquoise and black epoxy very successfully on both of those woods.

You might also get on the AWA website and find when and where the Tucson Woodturners meet. I think they are going to have Ernie Conover in the fall,

Back to top

IP Logged

Jim Ratliff WR Noob Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 7	Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ? Reply #9 - 04/04/12 at 10:01:49 Thanks for the info Dale, I can't find any ino on the AZ Woodturners Association (AWA?) websight for Tucson. Is there a different site you are referring to ?
Back to top	IP Logged

Vaughn McMillan

WR Addict

Offline

Does this nose make me
look fat?

Posts: 3794

Gender: male

Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ?
Reply #10 - 04/04/12 at 15:10:51

Jim Ratliff wrote on 04/04/12 at 10:01:49:

Thanks for the info Dale, I can't find any ino on the AZ Woodturners Association (AWA?) websight for Tucson. Is there a different site you are referring to ?

He's referring to the American Woodturners Association. This should get you pointed in the right direction...

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to

or

Back to top

IP Logged

Jim Bianco

Full Member

Offline

Posts: 87

Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ?
Reply #11 - 04/04/12 at 16:45:30

Jim Ratliff wrote on 04/03/12 at 12:12:34:

Thanks everyone for the responses. Sounds like sharp tools and light cuts are the ticket for turning AZ desert dry wood. I understand about finding wood without cracks. The wood I have is Mesquite and Ironwood, nice small pieces without cracking. I will give them a try and see what "turns" up. Since we have an abundant supply of both types of wood, practice shouldn't be too expensive.

Jim and Jim, I live on the south side of Tucson.

watch that ironwood. wear a respirator. that's really not a good wood to start out on. Mesquite on the other hand, I love it.

Back to top

IP Logged

Jim Ratliff WR Noob Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 7	Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ? Reply #12 - 04/04/12 at 17:01:39 Thanks Jim, I will start with PaloVerde (much softer) to practice then move up to Mesquite. Ironwood for the more experienced days and respirator .. you betcha. Jim
Back to top	IP Logged

JimQuarles WR Administrator WR Patron Online WR Rocks, BIG Time! Posts: 10909 Gender:	Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ? Reply #13 - 04/04/12 at 20:25:08 I was warned that Palo Verde dust, smoke and sap are all toxic! Do NOT turn without a respirator. You may even react to the saw dust on your skin. DAMHIKT
Back to top	Mentor Basics, Pens, small stuff, Acrylics, EasyRougher. Just Turnin' Around! Glendale, AZ "Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before." - Steven Wright IP Logged

Jim Ratliff WR Noob Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 7	Re: Can extremely dry wood be rehydrated ? Reply #14 - 04/04/12 at 22:34:58 Thanks for the warning Jim! Turning is more complicated than first thought, or taught during school .. back when dinosaurs roamed the planet...
Back to top	IP Logged