Any problem in using ?? the plastic Poly-styrene-Glycol ?? replacement - as the 'ol' evaporates
as in the Ethan'ol' - it leaves a poly-styrene IIRC to fill the void - preventing cell crushing.
I heard Sherman Williams had it - 55 gallon drums.

And the Madrone - wow - used to have some big ones on my property - Northern Ca. - Central Coast
really. Strange wood/tree. Often a turners surprise as the wood expands from twists
grown within.

Martin

Martin Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder



Fred Holder wrote:
George,

Have you tried Dave Smith's process? Dave says that the water in the wood mixes
with the aclohol in which it is soaking. The water in the wood is displaced with
the water alcohol mixture. Then the alcohol evaporates faster than water. Thus
drying the wood more quickly. Whether there is any physical chemistry nor wood
technology reason for why this should work, it does work. Wood will not dry
completely in less than two weeks from very wet to moisture stability without
some help and the alcohol seems to give it that help.

Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com

In article , George says...


"Fred Holder" wrote in message
...

Hello Mark,

One of the fastest methods of drying wet wood that I've tried is Dave
Smith's
method of using Ethanol. Dave recently did a demonstration at the Seattle
Chapter of AAW and my wife and I tried it on some madrone and maple bowls
shortly afterwards. The bowls were rough turned to about 10 percent wall
thickness and soaked in the ethanol for about 24 hours, Dave says that two
hours
is enough, there were no cracks and minimal warping. We final turned and
finished them in 10 days when they were completely dry.

There will be a story on our trials in the December 2005 issue of More
Woodturning, which will be in the mail about the 21st of this month.


Mark, there is no valid reason in physical chemistry nor wood technology to
indicate that alcohol affects drying rate or distortion. Google "Pygmalion
effect" and remember, that with and without soak as nearly identical pieces
of wood as it is possible to get dry and distort at the same rate by
physical measurement. You can try it yourself.





----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----