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Bowl blanks dipped in wax

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Mac Davis

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May 19, 2013, 2:12:19 AM5/19/13
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A friend gave me several bowl blanks that she'd bought online... They
are all dipped in wax, as opposed to the ends coated...

I turned on and it was very green and wet... Cracked as I was tuning
it!

I'm considering scraping the wax off of everything but the ends, to
let it dry normally, any reason that I shouldn't??

I'm thinking that completely sealed in wax, they'll never dry, am I
wrong here?

G. Ross

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May 19, 2013, 7:39:18 AM5/19/13
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Mac Davis wrote: > A friend gave me several bowl blanks that she'd bought online... They > are all dipped in wax, as opposed to the ends coated... > I turned on and it was very green and wet... Cracked as I was tuning > it! > I'm considering scraping the wax off of everything but the ends, to > let it dry normally, any reason that I shouldn't?? > I'm thinking that completely sealed in wax, they'll never dry, am I > wrong here? Is she cute? I would scrape as you mentioned. Are they really dipped or just painted with end sealer? Dipped, they will never dry. On wood that is prone to cracking, I often end seal the rough turned bowls and some still crack. GW Ross Without Time, everything would happen at once.

Martin Eastburn

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May 19, 2013, 10:26:00 PM5/19/13
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Many people work with green / wet wood. One doesn't finish the job,
but leave thickness inside and out. Put it in a paper bag to retard
the drying but allow it - and wait for a month or so.

Martin

Mac Davis

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May 20, 2013, 2:13:10 AM5/20/13
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On Sun, 19 May 2013 07:39:18 -0400, "G. Ross" <gw...@comwest.net>
wrote:
Yeah, these are dipped in what feels like paraffin... Totally
sealed...
I'm an Armorseal user, but only on end grain...

Thanks.. good advice, as usual, my friend...

Mac Davis

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May 20, 2013, 2:14:37 AM5/20/13
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Yeah, I figured that part out about 30 years ago, Martin...
My question was whether or not to scrape the wax off all but the end
grain...

Ralph E Lindberg

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May 20, 2013, 10:12:52 AM5/20/13
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In article <s2rgp8dk40caorn5u...@4ax.com>,
It's not unusual for some commercial wood processing places to just dump
them in and coat everything, takes less time then just the ends

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Ecnerwal

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May 20, 2013, 1:53:26 PM5/20/13
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For folks that prefer to turn green, it's actually desirable. Since you
prefer otherwise, scrape away.

Cracking while turning happens, sometimes. If you are turning green
blanks in "desert-dry" conditions, it probably happens more - I wouldn't
know that part from experience. Less pain when it's firewood, of course.

--
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Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away.

Mac Davis

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May 21, 2013, 1:12:33 AM5/21/13
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On Mon, 20 May 2013 07:12:52 -0700, Ralph E Lindberg
<n7...@callsign.net> wrote:

<snip>
>It's not unusual for some commercial wood processing places to just dump
>them in and coat everything, takes less time then just the ends

I think so... Less time to process and less complaints of cracked
blanks when delivered...

I dug out a purpleheart blank that I'd bought for one of my students
almost 2 years ago... Didn't use a scale, but it feels the same weight
as when it got here....
Scraping time tomorrow on 6 or 7 blanks...

Mac Davis

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May 21, 2013, 1:15:23 AM5/21/13
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On Mon, 20 May 2013 13:53:26 -0400, Ecnerwal
<MyName...@ReplaceWithMyVices.Com.invalid> wrote:

>For folks that prefer to turn green, it's actually desirable. Since you
>prefer otherwise, scrape away.
>
>Cracking while turning happens, sometimes. If you are turning green
>blanks in "desert-dry" conditions, it probably happens more - I wouldn't
>know that part from experience. Less pain when it's firewood, of course.

I prefer turning green on shallow bowls, but these are mainly vase and
deep bowl blanks.... No fun watching them crack before I can get them
thin and deep enough to warp naturally...

Kevin Miller

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May 21, 2013, 12:20:49 PM5/21/13
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I remember watching a video back in the day (Del Stubbs?) where he would
spritz some water on the wood as he was turning to keep the thinner part
he'd already turned from cracking while he tackled the rest...

...Kevin
--
Kevin Miller
Juneau, Alaska
http://www.alaska.net/~atftb
"In the history of the world, no one has ever washed a rented car."
- Lawrence Summers

Martin Eastburn

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May 21, 2013, 10:51:38 PM5/21/13
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Purple heart is so loaded with silica any moisture is swamped.

I broke the line on the glued up handle I made for a fancy handle file.
Glue held only 25% of the edge. It is tricky stuff. I want to say I
used thinner to dissolve the oil but might have just pushed it around...

Martin

.

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May 22, 2013, 12:28:42 AM5/22/13
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personally, I like when the blanks are dipped in parafin - they dry much
more slowly - if at all. I would suggest just turning to finished
dimensions in one shot, and turn thin enough that it won't crack

Mac Davis

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May 22, 2013, 2:00:37 AM5/22/13
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On Tue, 21 May 2013 08:20:49 -0800, Kevin Miller <atf...@alaska.net>
wrote:

>I remember watching a video back in the day (Del Stubbs?) where he would
>spritz some water on the wood as he was turning to keep the thinner part
>he'd already turned from cracking while he tackled the rest...
>
>...Kevin

Hey Kevin.... Some vacation!

I've tried plant misters, wet rags and Danish oil... All work well
while turning...

Kevin Miller

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May 22, 2013, 12:19:23 PM5/22/13
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Interesting thought on the Danish Oil. Not so prone to evaporation as
just misting/wiping w/water. Probably want to stay out of the line of
fire though as I'm sure it'll splatter a lot...

Mac Davis

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May 23, 2013, 2:54:42 AM5/23/13
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On Wed, 22 May 2013 08:19:23 -0800, Kevin Miller <atf...@alaska.net>
wrote:


>Interesting thought on the Danish Oil. Not so prone to evaporation as
>just misting/wiping w/water. Probably want to stay out of the line of
>fire though as I'm sure it'll splatter a lot...
>
>...Kevin

I wet sand a lot of my softer pieces with natural Danish oil, then
buff 'em...
Hardens the surface a bit and slows the drying to let them warp...
It also fills in little gaps and grain rings...
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