Drying wood

[slemishwoodcrafts]

Hi,

AT home in our kitchen my mum has a rayburn oil fired cooker. (similar to an AGA or Stanley). The bottom oven is quite warm although not roasting temp. I was wondering if it was possible to dry wood in it as a method of kiln drying? Has any body tried this or will I have to experiment?

michael

 

[CHJ]

Hi,

AT home in our kitchen my mum has a rayburn oil fired cooker. (similar to an AGA or Stanley). The bottom oven is quite warm although not roasting temp. I was wondering if it was possible to dry wood in it as a method of kiln drying? Has any body tried this or will I have to experiment?

michael

Michael, it would probably be far too aggressive for most items, although having said that I have seen many a weak lamb brought back to the land of living placed in a cardboard box in one with the door left open. :lol:

It really depends on the size, shape and existing moisture content as to whether the rapid loss that might ensue will cause problems.

I currently dry green pen blanks for instance over a couple of days at similar temperatures and get away with little warping except on some cross grain pieces and have force dried some thin walled vessels in similar manner and got away with it. A lot depends on the wood species as well, green Cherry for instance would probably split the moment you even thought about doing it for anything greater than about 20mm thick.

 

[bjm]

Hi Michael

In principle it sounds a good idea but it is nothing like kiln drying where you have control over temperature AND humidity - it is the combination of the two that reduces the moisture content of the wood in a controlled way. Simply using heat will invariably lead to drying defects such as case-hardening where the outer surface of the wood dries quicker than the core which leads to stresses building up in the wood. My advise - don't do it.

Brian

 

[mister henderson]

Hi Michael

In principle it sounds a good idea but it is nothing like kiln drying where you have control over temperature AND humidity - it is the combination of the two that reduces the moisture content of the wood in a controlled way. Simply using heat will invariably lead to drying defects such as case-hardening where the outer surface of the wood dries quicker than the core which leads to stresses building up in the wood. My advise - don't do it.

Brian

D'accord. Reducing the humidity at a CONTROLLED rate is vital in good kiln drying

 

[CHJ]

D'accord. Reducing the humidity at a CONTROLLED rate is vital in good kiln drying

No dispute at all with that, but I doubt that anything small enough to fit in a Rayburn 'slow cook' oven would be a candidate for true kiln processing any more than the bits for jewelry or trinket boxes done in a domestic microwave, procedures useless for quality cabinet work timber may well be adequate for the home craftsperson that has found something interesting in the hedge trimmings.

These pieces of coloured Ash & Cherrywere 'green' wood less than a week ago.

 

[Digit]

I was surprised to find that nobody mentioned my favorite trick. If the timber is small enough use a microwave oven on low heat for a few seconds at a a time.
Don't run the oven for too long at the start as it drys the timber from the inside, and done too rapidly the water can boil and split the wood.
Believe me, it does work.