where are you located? The reason I ask is that if relative humidity is
a factor then it can make a difference where you are located.
For example, I've lived in places like south texas where the humidity is
90% much of the year. In Denver the humidity is 36% this morning and
often in the sumer it is lower.

One of my first bowls (redwood burl) was sopping wet when I turned it.
I left it out over night before finishing. By morning significant
splits had developed. I therefore use caution about leaving anything
that is not stone dry out. It may be that after an initial period of
bag drying I can take stuff out but I don't know.

The only experienced local turner I've been able to ask the question
about drying uses a kiln to dry his stuff but then again he sells his
stuff for $100s

PS In the sumer in south texas sweat drips off of you makes your cloths
soaking wet and forms a puddle at your feet. In the sumer in Denver it
never reaches the ground and you have to be working hard to know your
sweating. Therefore my concern about slowing the drying a bit.


Jim Swank wrote:

The rule of thumb for thickness is 10% of the diameter. This gives
room to re-turn after the wood warps during drying. The rule can be
fudged if you're familiar with how much the particular wood is likely
to warp.

I wait about 6 months on a 10 inch bowl with 1 inch wall thickness. I
don't pack the paper bag with shavings unless I'm trying to encourage
a bit more spalting during the drying process. Some wait longer, but
if it "feels" dry, it's probably ready. Again, experience will guide
you after some time. I'd suggest you start with 6 months time, then
experiment until you have developed your own "feel"" for the wood by
species in your climate.

I've never heard of using a stick. It may work well on some woods, bu
will likely encourage others to split. The wood moves during drying
to relieve internal stresses that develop. These stresses are what
causes splitting. If you keep the wood from moving, the stresses are
not relieved, and it seems splitting is more likely.

The purpose of bagging is to slow drying, allowing less difference in
moisture content between the outside and inside of the wood. This
also reduces stresses by keeping the shrinkage rate more uniform.
Packing the wood in shavings further slows drying, as more moisture
must move through the paper barrier.

Jim