How long for DNA Pics added

Chuck Thoits

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Ok so I got these chunks of Hickory sitting in a bucket of DNA. How long should they sit for?
Is there a way of knowing that they have been in long enough?
I read some place that they should sit in the DNA until they float. I'm thinking that this stuff wont float on ice let alone DNA:thumb::rofl:
 
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Chuck - I haven't had the chance to do hickory, but I have had good luck soaking cherry, maple and soft maple for at least 24 hours, then bagging for 4 weeks. The one piece of soft maple was forgotten in the DNA bucket for about 2 weeks:rolleyes:. I didn't bag it and it didn't crack. I do have to finish turning it.

I would think 24 hours would be good, but one thing is for sure. You can soak it for too short a time and it will crack. If you soak it for longer than necessary, it won't crack.
 
Chuck,
I don't have a difinitive answer, but I've soaked woods in DNA for a couple of days.. once for a week because I forgot it... if you have the wood partially turned it will benefit from the soaking better than a solid chuck...

I soaked a piece of "rainbow poplar" ... don't know where the "rainbow" came from... it was almost totally black, smelled like a swamp bog, was soaking wet, completely covered in wax, so I rough turned the bowl, soaked it for a day then bagged it to dry for a couple of weeks... made a beautiful bowl.... too bad I didn't pay closer attention and cut the bottom too thin...:eek::eek::(:(

Also did a chunk of bradford pear that was rough turned for a candle stick.. was about 2 1/2 diameter because was going to be a tower candle stick... it cracked in the DNA... :(:dunno:
 
Chunk update
 

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Chuck I leave my wood in the DNA for 5 days no less. I have also left it in for longer I think it was 9 days with no problems. Normally though it is 5 days. Take it out and let it flash dry then wrap in a brown grocery sack with one end left open.
 
Glad U posted this question. I was at my favorite wood supplier and the owners son just brought down a large Maple burl from their mill in Oregon ( large like in it fills up a pallet). He has it wrapped and sealed and was wondering how to keep it from checking. I mentioned DNA but couldn't tell him how long to soak it. I think in this case a month would work.
 
So, Just as a question, the whole point of soaking in DNA is to dry something out, without it cracking, right?

Alcohol, being hygroscopic will pull the H2O out of the wood?

And will do it faster and more evenly than air drying?
 
Logan & Bucky's servant said:
So, Just as a question, the whole point of soaking in DNA is to dry something out, without it cracking, right?

Alcohol, being hygroscopic will pull the H2O out of the wood?

And will do it faster and more evenly than air drying?

The alcohol replaces the water, the alcohol will dry out faster, yes, but the big difference between the water and the DNA is that because the DNA evaporates faster. Water evaporates slower, so there is more of a moisture difference for a longer time between the dry part and the wet part of the wood, or at least that is how I understand it :thumb:
 
Glad U posted this question. I was at my favorite wood supplier and the owners son just brought down a large Maple burl from their mill in Oregon ( large like in it fills up a pallet). He has it wrapped and sealed and was wondering how to keep it from checking. I mentioned DNA but couldn't tell him how long to soak it. I think in this case a month would work.

[Drooling...] For something like a big burl, DNA might not be effective. It'd be hard to know if it had soaked all the way through the wood. For turned pieces and smaller chunks of lumber like Chuck's, there's a good chance the DNA will go all the way through. That's why bowl blanks typically aren't soaked before being rough turned. Also, I don't know if the DNA would be cost effective, either. (It'd take a lot of gallons to cover a pallet-sized chunk.) All of the burl I've seen sold was either wax coated or air dried.

You can tell the wood guy I'd be glad to take the problem off his hands, though. I'd even send him pics to let him know how it all came out. :p
 
Ok they are out and wrapped up. I have wrapped them like a Christmas present. What say ye all should I open up one end?
Should I open up both ends?
Or should I leave them wrapped up tight?
 
I'd leave them wrapped. If you do open them up, only open up the face or side grain, not the end grain. The idea is to slow down the moisture as it leaves the wood (and it always leaves the end grain faster than elsewhere). If it leaves too fast in one area and not fast enough in another, that's when the cracks start. The DNA will speed the whole process up, but you still want the moisture to leave at a regulated pace.
 
There was a section in the USDA publication "Drying Hardwood Lumber" on chemical drying, but I lent that book out and never got it back. I read it but it was a while ago and can't remember much. You may be able to order it from your local library.

I just checked the USDA "Dry Kiln Operators Manual", and it has nothing on chemical drying.

Both of these books are out of print, but can be found on the used market.
 
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