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Drying cookies and log slices without cracking.

Started by Joe Hillmann, February 10, 2015, 01:00:34 PM

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Joe Hillmann

How would you go about drying cookies cut from logs or angled log slices for making plaques?  I have several spalted logs that I would like to cut into plaques but don't know how to go about drying them.

Ocklawahaboy

I have a friend who has good luck soaking the back side in ethelyne glycol antifreeze to slow the drying.

Ianab

Spalted actually seems to increase the chances of success. The wood is a bit softer, and seems to be able to deform, rather than cracking. That and cutting on an angle makes the chances pretty good.

The end grain is going to dry pretty fast no matter what you do. so I suggest you just sticker them in a dry shed or shelter and see what happens.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Joe Hillmann

Did he do any finishing afterwards?  Did the antifreeze affect how the finish dried/stuck?

Ocklawahaboy

Quote from: Joe Hillmann on February 10, 2015, 02:07:34 PM
Did he do any finishing afterwards?  Did the antifreeze affect how the finish dried/stuck?
I'll see him tomorrow and question him more.  I believe the way he did it was sit the cookie in a pan of antifreeze that went about half way up.  After a while he took it out to let it finish drying.  He gave most of them away and I saw one that he had polyurethaned.  Didn't seem like it was discolored or anything.  The top of the finished piece would be the side not in the antifreeze.

grweldon

This thread is a little old, but instead of using toxic ethylene glycol, I suggest using non-toxic (food safe even) polyethelene glycol [PEG] to remove the moisture from cookies by soaking them in a solution.  Google it and I'm sure you will come up with a plan.
My three favorite documents: The Holy Bible, The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

Using or selling wood that could be used as a table and that has a toxic chemical in it certainly has a high risk.  I do believe that somewhere, somebody got polyethylene glycol (PEG), which is safe for humans and is used in food and pharmaceuticals, and is widely used for decades to stabilize wood, confused with ethylene glycol, the antifreeze.  PEG 300 and PEG 1000 have been used for wood.

There was an article in SAWMILL & WOODLOT that discussed the various options for drying discs and not having a large crack when done.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

beenthere

Quote from: grweldon on March 19, 2015, 10:30:20 AM
This thread is a little old, but instead of using toxic ethylene glycol, I suggest unding non-toxic (food safe even) polyethelene glycol [PEG] to remove the moisture from cookies by soaking them in a solution.  Google it and I'm sure you will come up with a plan.

gr
Have you used the PEG solution to treat wood?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Ocklawahaboy

Since the OP was on making plaques, I suggested the antifreeze.  My friends success with it was for cookies for wall hangings and foot stools, not tables.  It was the good old fashioned green antifreeze that he uses. 

Also of note, I wouldn't use it in any wood around pets.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

The truth is that if you sell wood with a poisonous chemical that you added to the wood, it must be stated and there must be several documents included, such as a CISS.  So, basically treating with ethanol glycol and then selling the wood is not a good idea...health-wise and legal-wise.  All the added ingredients must be indicated.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

grweldon

Quote from: beenthere on March 19, 2015, 12:36:19 PM
Quote from: grweldon on March 19, 2015, 10:30:20 AM
This thread is a little old, but instead of using toxic ethylene glycol, I suggest unding non-toxic (food safe even) polyethelene glycol [PEG] to remove the moisture from cookies by soaking them in a solution.  Google it and I'm sure you will come up with a plan.

gr
Have you used the PEG solution to treat wood?

I have... why do you ask?
My three favorite documents: The Holy Bible, The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States.

beenthere

I asked, 'cause I'm interested in how it worked out for you.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

PEG-300 is a wonderful chemical for bulking wood.  That is, the PEG diffuses into the wood completely to the core and then does not let the wood shrink.  The treatment must be thorough, which means that the wood must be somewhat porous.  The diffusion is helped by using a heat solution, but some species, like white oak, will not allow the large PEG molecule to penetrate into the wood.  One problem I have often seen is that as the PEG moves into the wood from its solution, the concentration of the solution drops, so more PEG must be added to bring the concentration back up.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

grweldon

Quote from: beenthere on March 24, 2015, 10:47:47 AM
I asked, 'cause I'm interested in how it worked out for you.

I have treated some green turned bowls.  It worked well to minimize distortion and cracking after rough turning.  The bowls were then turned to finish thickness about a year later.
My three favorite documents: The Holy Bible, The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States.

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