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Pen blanks drying in my roof space

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
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Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
Following on Pauls remarks today not wanting to clutter up his post this is how I made sure my blanks were dried ready to drill, glue, turn. I have dried thousands this way over the years. Alongside the main stacks I used to Log Cabin style make a stack weighed together of the slowest drying ones and every week unstack weigh that group I did this for years one day the Oracle SWMBO made a canny observation based on years of what do you think of this and that she observed blanks that were not dried sufficiently felt cold and damp and so for years now thats my quick test works for me never lost a blank through dampness inside since. Incidentally the Olive Blanks in the pic (rhs) are amongst the slowest.

These days with the extractor unit fitted in the pitch above the pic area air movement up there is great, I fitted a 3 minute accessed folding step unit in the hallway into the roof.

I used to be in a hurry to dry figured why? Thought I had a short time to live in my 60,s decided no one had the right to instant pens from whatever timber etc just enjoyed the ride ever since.

Kind regards Peter.:thumbs:
 

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paulm

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Sandford
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Paul
Thats a great stash Peter. I love all aspects of pen making which includes cutting down the tree/branch sawing it into blanks and drying it prior to turning it and when I get something special, I just can't resist drying it quickly on the aga to make a pen. Currently there are about 100 blanks drying and for some reason I don't get any pain nowadays!
 

Penpal

Grand Master
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May 26, 2013
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Canberra AUSTRALIA
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Peter
Paul I do regret we are separated by distance on this forum so much timber, little time to sort everything glad you have built up your stash over time reminds me like you the very most important part of my workshop has been a large open throated Band Saw to break down trees in every form and yes typical male I want that blank now.

Kind regards Peter.:thumbs:
 

paulm

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Sandford
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Paul
Paul I do regret we are separated by distance on this forum so much timber, little time to sort everything glad you have built up your stash over time reminds me like you the very most important part of my workshop has been a large open throated Band Saw to break down trees in every form and yes typical male I want that blank now.

Kind regards Peter.:thumbs:

Yes, I had to get a 16" bandsaw to cope with the wood I get. Its my baby :funny:
 

Neil

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May 21, 2013
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Hitchin, Hertfordshire
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Neil
If I dried wood in the roof space two things would happen, they would all split due to the extremes of temperature and lack of ventilation and secondly I would reduce a two storey house to an uninhabitable bungalow.
 

Lons

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Dec 17, 2013
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Northumberland
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Bob
Fabulous collection of blanks Peter. One of the benefits of living in a nice climate I guess, ours would just go mouldy.

Pity my trip down under next month doesn't come quite close enough (though we do pass quite near Canberra on the drive from Melbourne to Sydney), or there'd be an empty suitcase in my car boot:funny:
 

wm460

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Mar 16, 2013
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Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia.
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Mark
SWMBO made a canny observation based on years of what do you think of this and that she observed blanks that were not dried sufficiently felt cold and damp and so for years now thats my quick test works for me never lost a blank through dampness inside since.

I never noticed this here.:whistling::whistling:

lovely pile of blanks great set for storing them Peter.:thumbs::thumbs:
 
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