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Wrapping DNAed Bowl Blanks

Ken Fitzgerald said:
I know Dennis Peacock, Mark Cothren and others periodically add fresh alcohol to their containers but have containers they've been using for years. Like Stu...they say the containers contents are look ugly but still work well.
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I can testify to how Dennis Peacock's "soup" looks---grungy and ugly!!! :eek: :eek:

Nancy
 
Warping bowls may not be the drying process (or methods) but in the wood blank itself. The relationship of the pith and annual rings to the center of the bowl. We all know that often the pith is not in the center of the log (especially if it is a limb or if the tree is grown on the side of a hill or near a water source or influenced by other trees or structures) I think we discussed this a while back. Here is a drawing I submitted some time ago that discribes what I mean. How does your warping bowls relate to this?

bowlblank.jpg
 
I use the soap soaking method. Usually leaving the bowl in the mix for about 4 to 7 days. Then allow the soap to drain off and finish turning and then wrap in newspaper for however long it takes for the bowl to dry. I do get some warping but usually no cracks. :)
 
DNA lasts a pretty long time.

I lose some DNA each time I remove a bowl and eventually need to replace the lost fluid. This seems to keep the right DNA/Water mixture because I don't have any problems.

Also, when I started using DNA, I would wrap my bowls like Stu. Eventually I got a like lazy and tried just placing them into a brown paper bag. Works for me.

Since I got my 3520 I've been turning some big bowls, I'm still looking for a big plastic container with a good fitting lid. So lately, I'm back to using anchorseal.
 
Ron Sardo said:
..............Also, when I started using DNA, I would wrap my bowls like Stu. Eventually I got a like lazy and tried just placing them into a brown paper bag................
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What the heck is a paper bag.... :huh: :dunno:

Seriously, we almost never get any paper bags here, so I use some paper that is packing material in the boxes of cigarettes that are delivered, kind of like butchers paper without any wax. :D
 
A lot of your questions are addressed by Dave Smith. He is the one who introduced us to the denatured alcohol drying method. Steve Schlumph gave three links in another thread recently. It is always better to go to the source for the original information.

"Jack - the following links should provide you with all the info about the DNA process that you will ever want or need. If you have any questions after checking the links out - let us know and we'll all figure something out!

http://alcoholsoaking.blogspot.com/
http://alcoholsoaking.blogspot.com/2...ercentage.html
http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/r...cles_473.shtml
__________________
Steve "
 
i've had one recent failure with a dna soak. this was on a cherry hollow form. i left the walls the prescribed 10% of the dia in thickness, soaked in dna over a day, then placed the HF on a rack to dry and forgot about it until the next morning. that was my mistake. the HF had already cracked through the side in several places. winter time, pretty dry air but will now put the dna soaked piece in several brown paper bags immediately after dna.

i've had good success with dna method except for this one HF and i'm blaming the exposure to dry air for 12-15 hours for the failure.
 
With the denatured alcohol soak I believe Dave's recommendation is <10% for bowls. Hollowforms can be even thinner. The only ones I have lost have been those with walls that have been too thick. See above links.
 
Stuart Ablett said:
What the heck is a paper bag.... :huh: :dunno:

Seriously, we almost never get any paper bags here, so I use some paper that is packing material in the boxes of cigarettes that are delivered, kind of like butchers paper without any wax. :D
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Grocery stores still package goods in brown paper bags by us. They do offer plastic, but I like the paper ones better.
 
Ron Sardo said:
...Since I got my 3520 I've been turning some big bowls, I'm still looking for a big plastic container with a good fitting lid. So lately, I'm back to using anchorseal.
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Ron, the same dog bit me. I ended up getting one of the 22" or so diameter plastic tubs with rope handles at Target for about $7.00. I made a 20" or so disk out of 3/4" plywood last night, and gave it a couple coats of Polycrylic finish. The disk sits a few inches below the rim of the tub, and the edge of the disk is tapered to match the taper of the tub. I'm going to add a piece of closed-cell weatherstripping around the edge of the disk, and attach a handle to make it easier to lift off. The weatherstripping should give me a good enough seal, but if not, I plan to use a ratcheting nylon web clamp to cinch up the outside of the tub and press it into the rim of the disk.

I'll try to get some pics of it all tonight.
 
Vaughn

I've been thinking along those same lines. Back when I worked as a photographer for a newspaper, we would mix up 5 gallons of developer at a time.
BTW - This was back in the B&W film days.

When developer is exposed to air it would deteriorate pretty quickly, like an hour or so. To make the chemicals last longer than a week, we would use a floating lid along with a top lid to cover the vat. Worked great to keep the chemicals fresh.

I have a sheet of 1/4" PVC that will float on DNA. I just need to find a big enough tub with parallel sides before I cut the sheet to size. My problem is I just dislike going to stores.

(It's not the money, it's the darn parking lots!)
 
Hate to dig up an older thread, but can someone tell me if I should expect the DNA process to provide satisfactory results if I'm making mallets out of wet wood rather than bowls or HFs? I've made a couple that cracked even though they didn't seem to be that wet. I put some wax over the cracks and then tossed them into a brown paper bag. The cracks closed back up and I was able to turn away enough material so there is no remnant of the cracks. I'd like to find a way, other than the waxy material on the endgrain, to prevent the cracks.

Again, thanks for any assistance,
 
Lee, I've had great success so far with several large 14-16" bowls & saved cores turned at about 1.5" thick, with lots of figure in them. I would think that it would work just as well for mallets. I've only recently adopted the DNA soaks; I lost about 10 large bowls that I had roughed out in the spring, and very carefully wrapped up, only to find them horribly cracked later. :eek::eek::eek: Personally, I use paper grocery bags, because they are available to me, and I use & reuse them over & over. I just roll the top down somewhat loosely; the method has worked for dozens of roughouts so far. I might use a couple layers of grocery bags for the mallets, because of the thickness, and maybe even toss in some fresh wet shavings to slow it down even more. The DNA inside the drying mallet should probably discourage any mold growth. :D
 
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