Has anyone used a dehydrator on a twice turned bowl?

[Andy's Shed]

I've just rough turned a piece of Birch and it's very green, there are some rot patches too but that by the by.

Has anyone had any success with using a food dehydrator to speed up the drying process?

 

[Tris]

Never tried that but if you have one big enough I don't see why it wouldn't work. The microwave method is very effective and probably easier on the wallet with the cost of electricity

 

[Andy's Shed]

Thanks Tris, I decided to give it a try anyway, just on a very low temperature. The bowl has a fair few patches of rot, so I won't be overly concerned if it goes badly.

 

[Tris]

I'd be interested to know how it works out. Guessing you've got the cabinet type with a fan pulling moist air out?

This might be helpful
https://arbtalk.co.uk/forums/topic/109727-sauno-wood-kiln-–-any-good/

 

[Tris]

This one too
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/steam-relax-drying-kilns-sauno.116816/

 

[alex robinson]

I've just rough turned a piece of Birch and it's very green, there are some rot patches too but that by the by.

Has anyone had any success with using a food dehydrator to speed up the drying process?

I once tried using a freeze dryer on some slices that were to become coasters. While it was fairly quick, they didn't crack and less than just leaving them in the open.

Painting with wet rot hardener did help quite a lot though.

 

[Andy's Shed]

I'd be interested to know how it works out. Guessing you've got the cabinet type with a fan pulling moist air out?

This might be helpful
https://arbtalk.co.uk/forums/topic/109727-sauno-wood-kiln-–-any-good/

It's one of these (cheaper on Amazon at the moment) SousVideTools® 6 Tray Food Dehydrator
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SousVideTools-Hendi-Machine-Preserver-Dehydrator/dp/B075DBPR7W
I've got an 8 1/2" bowl in it at the moment, but I think it'll just manage up to 11" max.



Edit: I've just found this video, showing someone using a dehydrator to dry a bowl. He's set his to a higher temperature than I have, I might need to up it a bit.

 

[Andy's Shed]

I didn't really have the heat quite high enough at first, it was only set to 20c, but I upped it to 35c yesterday afternoon and it seems to have worked OK. The bowl didn't develop any new cracks.

The wood was rotten in places and it took a lot of sanding, so much so that I gave up eventually and called it a day. After looking at the photos, I can see the bits I'd missed, I can see the wax in the crack too!

I had intended giving the bowl away, my wife had other ideas and it's now in our kitchen.

Out of the dehydrator.



After 2nd turning .... and oh so much spot sanding.

 

[Tris]

Nice result

 

[Owd Jockey]

Of course another way of moving closer to a decree nisi is to use your air fryer on the dehydrate setting. On second thoughts ignore that. I did manage however, to get away with 'Japanning' the beds of a couple of vintage Bailey planes in our oven.

I have read the optimum drying temp for most woods is 49deg C. Which I use for my wood kiln.

 

[Andy's Shed]

That's good to know