Camphor wood seasoning......

[odie]

Thanks for the reply, @John Jordan.

(I have started this thread here on the main discussion forum, so as not to interfere with your posting of your latest masterpiece in the photo gallery.....just in case there is any further discussion on this topic with other turners.)

Over there, you stated the following re: your Sugar Maple Burl Vessel:

Thanks for the kind words Odie. I wrap the wood in stretch wrap usually, sometimes just a plastic grocery bag for small pieces. It keeps the wood the same as when it was put in, I don't know of any other way to do that without getting staining etc. I've turned pieces 7-8 years old. It's a good way to keep a few primo or hard to get woods. The only wood I've had trouble with is camphor with exploded in every direction. Makes sense I guess since it's a temperate environment wood.

John

Speaking of Camphor......I recently finished a Camphor burl bowl. The only one I've ever done.....and, it acted very differently than any wood I've ever processed when I seasoned the roughed blank. This is a twice turned bowl, and I apply anchorseal for the seasoning process. I season bowls on shelves in my shop, and use monthly weights to determine stabilization. Stabilization is considered to have occurred after 3-4 consecutive months of maintained weight, depending on the time of year.

This Camphor burl bowl initially had a 22% MC, and after roughing, it took a total of 41 months to stabilization! Yes, that's right.....well over 3 years to stabilize this roughed bowl! I don't remember ever having a bowl take over two years to stabilize, but there have been some that have taken well over one year. Most bowls stabilize in less than a year. This one continued to lose a small amount of weight, month after month.

Considering this, could it be possible this refusal of Camphor to expel moisture has anything to do with your camphor that exploded in your freezer?

Camphor has certainly been a different experience for me. Not very dense, and turns easily........

I welcome any, and all discussion from others on this subject, too.....

-----odie-----

 

[hockenbery]

This Camphor burl bowl initially had a 22% MC, and after roughing, it took a total of 41 months to stabilization! Yes, that's right.....well over 3 years to stabilize this roughed bowl! I don't remember ever having a bowl take over two years to stabilize, but there have been some that have taken well over one year.

that is A long time - way way beyond the 6-8 months I see with smaller( 10-14”)camphor bowls.

I turn camphor often as do lots of folks in the local clubs. in my experience it dries like other woods.
one of the nicest woods turn and carve.

you may have found a piece with atypical drying characteristics, perhaps due to the burl figure.

i went to paper bags over anchorseal becuse bowls dry faster. Anchorseal adds months to the drying time over paper bags. Still doesn’t explain years.

maybe the anchorseal was thicker or had a bigger wax build up.

 

[odie]

that is A long time - way way beyond the 6-8 months I see with smaller( 10-14”)camphor bowls.

I turn camphor often as do lots of folks in the local clubs. in my experience it dries like other woods.
one of the nicest woods turn and carve.

you may have found a piece with atypical drying characteristics, perhaps due to the burl figure.

i went to paper bags over anchorseal becuse bowls dry faster. Anchorseal adds months to the drying time over paper bags. Still doesn’t explain years.

maybe the anchorseal was thicker or had a bigger wax build up.

Thanks for your reply, Al.

Yes, there is something different about this piece of Camphor burl that I finished recently. It's not in the anchorseal, because it's the same batch I've been using for awhile. I've had Walnut burls with MC of about 35% that stabilized in less than half that time. I'm thinking it has something to do with the species. If Jordan's Camphor exploded in his freezer, I find that very curious.

Since this is the only piece of Camphor burl I've ever turned, I have nothing to base my conclusions on. Your text highlighted above, could be the simple solution......

-----odie-----

 

[John Jordan]

I've turned quite a bit of camphor, and have always found it to be a typical wood to work and dry from green, and it's quite stable-relatively little movement. Typical except for exploding in the freezer. LOL I don't spend a lot of time worrying about the why of such things, just accept it and move along.

John