Soapy Bowls ?

[cd]

I've been reading a few articles on the web about using washing up liquid to soak part finished "green" wood in. It appears to help stop some of the movement and cracking as the peice dries. All I have read so far seems very favorable and after a weekend successfully harvesting a small cherry tree I thought I might give it it a try. So my question, Has anyone here tried this, got any advice tips warnings etc.


cd

 

[Taffy Turner]

I read an article about this a long time ago. About the only thing I can remember (apart from the fact that it works quite well), was don't bother spending money on branded washing up liquid. Buy the cheapest stuff you can find e.g. from a catering supplies wholesaler or similar - they sell it in gallon containers.

Tip the liquid in a bucket, and put the roughed out blanks in to soak for a while (can't remember how long - sorry!).

The only difficulty that I can forsee would be when it comes time for finishing. I would have thought that any residue of detergent would make finishing a little difficult to say the least!

I haven't tried this myself - so I can't really offer any more help.

 

[cd]

34 views and only 1 reply,
I guess not many people have tried this .
Well I got some cheapie washing up liquid at lunchtime so I'll give it a try in the next day or so and let you know how it works

cd

 

[Cutting Crew]

Hello cd,

On every visit I make to the US I am always told how good this method is and I know a lot of turners use it, but as I always turn thin vessels and dry them in the same day I have never reason to try it.

One or two points I did pick up though which may be a bit late for you, you must use the yellow detergent, not the green as this discolours the timber. Over there they always use LDD (Liquid Dishwasher Detergent), I'm not sure if the normal stuff for doing the pots is the same.

The other point I must make is that every piece of wood I've seen done this way looks extremely lifeless. I could never find out if the wood that went in the LDD solution was was lifeless or had it lost all its colour and character in the wash.

I'm sure all the turners on here would look forward to hearing your findings.

Regards....Mike

 

[Cutting Crew]

Hello cd,

What I should have added in my last post was the current trend is to soak timber blanks in what the Americans call Denatured Alcohol, which I think may be ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, I'm not sure.

The logic behind this is that it replaces the moisture in the timber and the alcohol then evaporates, drastically reducing the drying time to days rather than months. There are a number of turners doing their own trials.

Regards....Mike

 

[cd]

Thanks for the advice Mike,
I bought "lemon" washing up liquid so I'll wait and see whether it discolours the wood, probably give it a nice smell though .
Didn't get much time to do anything last night but I will try over the weekend let you all know what happens.

cd

 

[UKTony]

I've ordered a book about Green Wood turning since i have a forest behind my house, i can just see the wifes face when i walk in the kitchen to borrow the microwave and Fairy Liquid

 

[Anonymous]

Have you seen this article..?

http://groups.msn.com/WorldofWoodturner ... imber.msnw

LDD is what we call washing up liquid so you are on the right track. I haven't tried this method so I would be very interested to hear how you get on. (I'm currently negotiating for a secondhand microwave to try the high-tech method).

As for getting the wood in and out of the vat, do you think pink or yellow Marigolds...?

Wulf

 

[frank]

wulf be butch get the black ones

 

[cd]

Update:
haven't had much of a chance to get in the workshop over the last week but I did part turn a small goblet and leave it to soak in the detergent for a day. Then left it to dry for a couple of days and tried to finish turning it. Unfortunately the walls of the goblet seemed to have become very soft and almost rubber like.
My firsts thoughts were that I hadn't left it long enough to dry but I've since left it another couple of days and its no better.
It may be that a goblet with thin walls is not a good test piece so time permitting I'm going to have a go with a bowl in the next couple of days.
Meanwhile if anyone has any idea why i have a rubbery goblet please let me know.

Wulf - I think yellow would be best .... Surely pink would clash with the colour of the detergent :lol: