Oven Or Microwave Wood

John Andrews

Well-Known Member
Since you fellas are a bottomless well of great knife making skills, I figured this is the best place to ask how to kitchen (electric) oven quick dry wood or how to microwave wood to dry.
 
Neither one of those are gonna work out well, slow drying is the way to go.... If you try to dry it fast like that, you're gonna crack it.
 
Thanks, Les! A long time ago I read somewhere where some were doing it, but I thought I better check it out before I ruin some wood.
I think I better just keep on drying it the old fashion way, overhead in my shop.
 
to add to these question im goting to ask if woods dry like has ben indoors &cut for afew years it well need to be stabelized befor using ore not
 
Using stabilized wood is THE only way to go, after the wood is properly dried. I use the old natural method of drying, have cut and dried a lot of wood at home. It's just a very slow process.

I figured if there was a good and quick way to do it, I would give it a try. But, I sure don't want to risk ruining exibition grade wood.

I buy some stabilized wood burl from Gene Martin. He's for SURE the gentleman you want to buy your stabilized wood from.
 
contact ankrom exotics, he will give you info on the best way to dry your wood
I'll give him a holler and see if he has any secrets to share. Thanks, james! For my own wood I send out to be stabilized, I send it to WSSI, great folks. It isn't cheap, but the service is great and Mike and everyone there are great folks.
One thing you want to remember when sending wood, the price is figured by the finished weight, not the weight of the untreated wood. And have your pieces cut to pretty much final using demensions because the waste will be pretty expensive sawdust and scrap on your shop floor.
 
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Some small sawmills might kiln dry the wood for you for not a lot of money. I have a logger friend looking for maple burl for me and his sawmill buddy will kiln dry it for $100 whether its one bowie block or 100 lbs.
 
I've had success with microwaving green wood, as well as failures. You have to cook it at the lowest heat setting, and for only 1 min. at a time. Also, you need to let it cool down before re-heating it. It may take 5-10 heats. I'm lucky, living in the Pacific NW, where burl wood is plentiful, so I don't care if one piece fails. But truly the best way is long term curing in the shop. And I use the old Scandinavian "stabilization" via soaking in 50/50 linseed oil and turpentine. Good luck!
Eric Bergland
 
I've had success with microwaving green wood, as well as failures. You have to cook it at the lowest heat setting, and for only 1 min. at a time. Also, you need to let it cool down before re-heating it. It may take 5-10 heats. I'm lucky, living in the Pacific NW, where burl wood is plentiful, so I don't care if one piece fails. But truly the best way is long term curing in the shop. And I use the old Scandinavian "stabilization" via soaking in 50/50 linseed oil and turpentine. Good luck!
Eric Bergland
I've never heard of that treatment before. It sets up pretty good and not gummy, huh? I am going to give that a try and see how it works, Stor.
Thanks for the tips and info, everyone!
 
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