I just got done with a drying test similar to Fred Holders, except that
I used a mix of 45% LDD, 45% water, and about 10% alcohol (I had some
left over from my DNA soaking experiments and rather than throw it
away, I mixed it). I took a center slab of a Madrone log, about 20
inches wide, and 3 inches thick. I cut in down the pith, and took bowls
from each half, and cored each bowl. The bowls were about 9 inch
diameter by 1/4 inch thick, and the cores were 6 inch diameter by 1/8
inch thick. One pair I soaked in my mix before drying, and the other I
just let air dry (no wrapping in paper). The weather was perfect for
air drying, mild in the 70's during the day, and mid 50's during the
night. It was cloudy most of the time, and there was some rain. The
results were much the same as Fred's (I won't bore you with the details
in grams per day). They dried at the same rate, and reached equilibrium
at the same time; the thinner ones in about 10 days, and the thicker
ones in about 14 days.
Does this proove anything? Well, along with all of the bowls that I
have air, DNA, and LDD treated and dried (a thousand or three, I don't
count them), my observations and this test indicate that the drying
time doesn't change in any measurable amount. I haven't counted, but
the cracking rate doesn't seem to change either. There was a lot of
movement with the Madrone bowls I tested, but not more than is usual
for Madrone.
I was told once that the LDD and DNA will reduce the surface tension in
water. This may effect the way that the water leaves the wood, but not
the over all rate.
The only real difference that I notice is the way that the bowls sand
out. I turn to finish thickness, and then dry before sanding. I like
the warped shapes. The LDD soaked bowls sand out a whole lot easier
(less burning, less clogging, longer sandpaper life) than the air and
DNA dried bowls.
Would someone else do a sanding experiment, and see if they notice a
difference. For the LDD, I mix 1/2 cheap brown soap, and 1/2 water.
Soak for 24 hours. Drain, and rinse lightly. Air dry for about 2 weeks,
or until most of the fragrance has faded (do they make non scented
LDD?). Then sand and finish. There is no after taste of the soap that I
have noticed. The scent of the stronger woods (walnut for one) isn't
eliminated by the soap.
Please note that this was not a scientific experiment, just
observations.
robo hippy