drying pen blanks

[Sam Fleisher]

Put a timber wolf blade on the bandsaw so I was trying it out and cutting up some walnut I wouldn't or couldn't make a bowl out of.

I have no idea what I'm doing or if they would even be usable for pen blanks. They are 1.5 x 1.5 x 5.5ish.

Will that take a year to dry like a roughed out bowl or is it based on length with a pen blank? Are those even big enough for pen blanks? I haven't turned a pen yet in spite of getting some stuff from someone on here.

I'll have to watch it.... I can see myself turning into a hoarder and cutting up every useless scrap of wood into a squared up spindle. It didn't take much and I have 17 pieces of the walnut and 4 longer ones of catalpa 1.5 x 14.

 

[Earl McLain]

Kind of standard wooden pen blank size is 3/4" x 3/4" x 5", though some of the big-sized hardware kits would benefit from 7/8" square. Smaller dries faster, and since a brass tube is normally glued inside the the blank, and the finished thickness is very thin--it's important to start with dry wood to reduce the chance of cracking.
Penturning is fun, and you're right about hoarding little pieces if you get addicted. There is no 12-step recovery program available either--just like any other form of turning!!
earl

 

[Sam Fleisher]

I'm guessing a pen blank doesn't need stickered? Just stacked like Jenga with gaps? Wax or no wax?

Put on the shelf and forget about till next year?

My reasoning is I might have a use for these someday and it's less I have to find a place to dispose of.

 

[hockenbery]

I usually cut longer spindle blanks

They are 1.5 x 1.5 x 5.5ish.

These could become four 3/4x5 if you do pens , finial or handle for a tool or pizza cutter…

I dry 2x2, 3x3, some woods 4x4. Usually in 2 or 3 foot lengths

 

[Sam Fleisher]

I usually cut longer spindle blanks


These could become four 3/4x5 if you do pens , finial or handle for a tool or pizza cutter…

I dry 2x2, 3x3, some woods 4x4. Usually in 2 or 3 foot lengths

This was from a scrap chunk I hadn't thrown out yet is the reason for the shortness.

No insight on the dry time, stacking or wax?

I have plenty of walnut to experiment with.

 

[Dave Bunge]

I've cut up batches of small, short spindles at times. I just put them together in a brown grocery bag, tape it closed and store it on a wire shelf. Weigh the bag periodically and when it stops losing weight assume the blanks are dry. It would probably be best at that point to take some individual pieces out of the bag, and track each of their weights to be sure they have really reached equilibrium.

If I remember correctly, it took much less than one year for similarly sized pieces to dry in the bag.

 

[robo hippy]

I think that being a wood hoarder is part of being a woodworker and/or a wood turner.... I haven't gotten into segmenting yet, but I do have plenty of stock. I have been making spheres lately, and started with 1 1/2 inch square blanks.... They can also make for small box blanks also. Rough turn them, hollow them out a bit, tape the ends together, lid and bottom, let them sit...

robo hippy

 

[hockenbery]

No insight on the dry time, stacking or wax?

I coat the ends with anchor seal then sticker them
Takes about 8-14 months to dry. Depending on thickness etc
Get some end checking. Usually less than 1/2” loss on each end

I check with a moisture meter before using