Stretch Wrap for temporary moisture loss prevention

[Kevin Weir]

I’m waiting for a new 2.5 inch bit to arrive and have 6 hard maple hollow forms in progress. I decided to try wrapping the wet pieces with stretch wrap as I had some on hand. Has anyone used stretch wrap for this purpose? I don’t expect the pieces to be wrapped for more than a week or so. Wondering how effective it is.

 

[Dean Center]

It works great. We prepped some large spindle blanks for a visiting expert workshop and the ones that didn't get used were still somewhat moist, and crack free, a year later. They were also green with mold, which is not easy to grow in our arid climate.

 

[John Redding]

I’ve done that multiple times, including when something is green, on the lathe, and I have to step away for a couple days. It works well.

 

[David Wyke]

It works great to hold in the moisture. I have wrapped HF for 3 days while on the lathe. If they are starting to dry out I’ll mist them with water before wrapping. I have also wrapped bowl blanks ina trash bag for a couple weeks before turning.

 

[Tim Connell]

My concern with hard maple would be the ugly gray mold that can develop and stain rather quickly depending on moisture level.

 

[Roger Wiegand]

Great to keep the moisture in, also great for supporting the growth of fungi. A plus if you're looking to create spalted wood, otherwise not so good, especially in wood like maple with a high sugar content. For a couple days it's perfect.

 

[hockenbery]

If you have room in a freezer - they will keep years.
And you need something like the shrink wrap to keep the anti frost from free drying the turning

The shrink wrap will promote mold a week is probably ok.

 

[Richard Coers]

A plastic grocery sack is free and works just as well as shrink wrap. By the time you get the bit, you could have both of those hollowed out. I’m not a big fan of drilling out a huge hole with a Forstner bit. Lots of heat for the wood and the bit.

 

[Doug Freeman]

I use a trash bag or box store platic “grocery”bag for temporary storage of a wet blank, but I do use stretch wrap for the OD of a HF while hollowing to keep it from drying out, and to seal the ends of fresh cut logs (way less messy than using a “paint on” sealer).

I like to use auger bits to drill initial clearance/depth holes for hf’s, up to 1-1/8” (clearance for the swivel tool holder on the hollowing system). Augers clear the chips and dont have to be reversed to clear them. Better than using air behind a forstner bit as well. I use a straight hand held bar to clear out the middle 1/3 or so. If the finished hole will be large, I’ll just use the hollowing tool or gouge to widen it.

 

[hockenbery]

waiting for a new 2.5 inch bit to arrive and have 6 hard maple hollow forms in progress.

I drill my starter holes with long 3/8” or 1/2” bits. My 1/2” I mounted in a wooden handle
The 3/8 I clamp with I vice grip. Drilling I push in an inch or so then pull out to clear the shavings.
I put a masking tape on the bit for a depth stop.

Like @Richard Coers I don’t recommend drilling with a big bit. Not worth the effort.
Hollowing is faster than the set up.

One exception is I use a 3/4” forstener to drill Christmas ornament balls. But that hole is sized for the lower finial and I’m only Dillinger 2.5-3” deep. The flat bottom lets me gauge hollowing depth.

 

[John K Jordan]

My concern with hard maple would be the ugly gray mold that can develop and stain rather quickly depending on moisture level.

If you have room in a freezer - they will keep years.
And you need something like the shrink wrap to keep the anti frost from free drying the turning

The shrink wrap will promote mold a week is probably ok.

I was about to mention the freezer method then I saw this. I bought a second chest freezer at a scratch&dent outlet of a local appliance store, quite cheap, got it primarily to store honey supers from the beehives.

Works well for wood. For a test I froze some blocks of wet wood wrapped in plastic wrap, like fresh-cut when thawed years later.
Another way is "ponding", simple submersion in clean water for extended preservation.

A short time with just the plastic has worked fine for me - if left overnight I would first spritz with water then wrap or simply cover with a plastic bag. If left a few days in warm weather a 50% solution of bleach in water can kill mold spores on the surface.

Much may depend on the environment. I've processed a LOT of white wood (holly, maple, etc) simply by cutting, sealing the ends, and putting on the shelf to dry for months or years. It doesn't get the grey stain but my shop is air conditioned, kept about 78 to 80 in the summer.

I HAVE gotten terribly ugly grey stain in logs cut and left outside in the summer or worse, sawn into boards and air dried in the summer. Late fall, winter, no problem.

JKJ

 

[robo hippy]

As others have said, the stretch film will let it mold, and maple, especially because of all the sugar in it will mold more quickly than many other woods. I don't use it on maple. I don't turn much maple, and most of what I get out here is big leaf maple. It is difficult to get it to cut clean. I have put pieces in big garbage cans with the lids, and that works fine. Some times I use 55 gallon trash bags which I keep around for shavings. I have not tried the freezer method. I do have one freezer dedicated just for blueberries....

robo hippy

 

[Darryn Achall]

When a piece seems sketchy, I wrap with stretch film while hollowing so if it comes apart nothing flies around. To save a green piece for a few days I spritz with water, put it in a plastic bag and tie the end.

 

[Kevin Weir]

Thanks for all your great comments and suggestions. I agree that the Forstner bit can cause heat buildup. But that’s why I’m switching to a “slimmer” bit. It should arrive shortly, so I’ll give you an update. And I especially like the comment from Darryn about wrapping a sketchy piece to help reduce the risk of rapid disassembly.

 

[John K Jordan]

I agree that the Forstner bit can cause heat buildup. But that’s why I’m switching to a “slimmer” bit.

Just a comment on heat from Forstner bits, especially large bits.

What I came up with long ago and have done ever since: when drilling with Forstner bits I direct a constant strong stream of compressed air into the back of the hole and towards the bit. This does two things:

1. Clears the chips, lets the bit cut easier.
2. Keeps the bit much cooler.

I have compressed air piped throughout the shop so this is easy.

Someone without easy access to compressed air might consider one of the handheld rechargeable blowers. I have one like this, but not the same model. I measured the air speed at about 40mph a foot away from the nozzle. I didn't think to check it up close but it sure moves a lot of air.

Amazon.com: WOLFBOX MF50 Compressed Air Duster-110000RPM Super Power Electric Air Duster, 3-Gear Adjustable Mini Blower with Fast Charging, Dust Blower for Computer, Keyboard, House, Outdoor and Car : Electronics

Buy WOLFBOX MF50 Compressed Air Duster-110000RPM Super Power Electric Air Duster, 3-Gear Adjustable Mini Blower with Fast Charging, Dust Blower for Computer, Keyboard, House, Outdoor and Car: Compressed Air Dusters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Also, when drilling for "rough" hollowing, I never use my good set of forstners, but go with the cheap carbide bits that do most of their cutting with two carbide points and radial carbide cutters extending to the center. The carbide don't cut nearly as clean a hole as the HSS Forstners, which won't matter for this application, but they sure do cut faster! And haven't gotten dull in decades of hard use.

JKJ

 

[Kevin Weir]

I tried the 2.5 inch carbide bit that arrived from Amazon today. It grabbed in the end grain of the maple vessel and broke the bit extender I was using. Conclusion: I’m going to limit the hole I drill to 1.5 inches going forward. It seems to drill just fine and I can still fit the hollowing bar in a hole that size.