Drying Pepper Mill Blanks

[socdad]

I purchased several mill blanks, 3x3x12, that were advertised as 'ready' to use. My moisture meter shows them at 11% - 15% … Is there any way to speed up the process?
Any info would be appreciated.

 

[1080Wayne]

Do you want to induce some cracks , which you can then fill , or do you want a solid piece ? I suspect the latter , which leaves no foolproof options . That includes time . You are another victim of commercial lumber standards falsely being applied to pieces which will end up in a controlled environment .

 

[Mike@CSUSA]

There are couple ways to speed up the drying process. You could round the blanks and let them sit inside in a warm environment for a week or so and they should drop down to 7-9% and then finish turning. On really wet blanks 20%+ I will round them out and drill the a 1" hole all the way through the blank then let them air dry for a couple weeks. Once dry, I will open up the drilled hole to the necessary 1-1/16" size.

 

[SabertoothBunny]

First make sure the ends are sealed. For that you can use latex paint, AnchorSeal or AnchorSeal II for that. This helps control how quickly the wood dries and helps it to dry more evenly to reduce cracks.

Methods to dry, the first one is to leave in on the shelf in your shop and let it sit for 6-10 months then check it again. Wood species dictates how quickly it will dry by air alone. Another option is the put them in the oven at a low temperature, 200-225 at highest, and monitor them for a few hours but use aluminum foil under them to prevent leaks or spills form the end sealing. You could also get them into a kiln. I have a "kilnerator" at home which is just an old dead fridge with the guts ripped out and light bulbs installed to generate heat with holes in it to induce airflow.

 

[montmill]

Question: Moisture equilibrium varies based on environment doesn't it? Even in our own homes wood gains and looses moisture depending on the heat and humidity in the house. Seams are loose in the winter and tight in the summer typically. I think kiln dried wood is more stable and won't move as much. Is it possible the seller thought the wood was stable at their location?