# Any one "water dry" there natarals?



## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

I just fisnhed water drying some new natarals. It works really good and dosent crack the wood.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

You mean boiling them in salt water?


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## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

NaturalFork said:


> You mean boiling them in salt water?


No. its putting the forks in a bucket of water and leaveing them there for a mounth or so. the u just but it in a warm place for a week or untill the water has gone from the wood.
You should see oil on top of the water in the bucket.
it works really good and it never cracks. you can even put cracked ones in there and the cracks will disapear.
SR


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Wow... i wouldnt think that would work. Thanks for the tip!


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## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

NaturalFork said:


> Wow... i wouldnt think that would work. Thanks for the tip!


Yes it sort of how timber mills do it. it slowly replaces the sap and stuff with water. it sort of like kiln dry witch does thes same thing.


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## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

Ill show you a pic of some that are drying now


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Also it's a good way to preserve forks that need extensive carving. Whenever you want to take it out to carve it hasn't hardened yet and it still like carving green wood, which is a lot easier. When you are done with your carving you just put in a plastic bag and only expose it to the air for an hour a day for about 5 days, then progressively a little longer each day for another 5 days. Then wait a few more days till it's completely dry and ready for sanding, etc.

Spoon carvers do this. Sometimes they put their blanks in big glass jars full of water until they are ready to carve them -- they call this "pickleing" the wood.


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## kobe23 (Jun 28, 2010)

Slingshots rule said:


> I just fisnhed water drying some new natarals. It works really good and dosent crack the wood.


Newbie status but so experienced!! Would it dry better with additives in the water? Or maybe soak it in something volatile like kerosene or petrol then keep it sealed for few days before allowing evaporation?


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

no, don't do that. you'll never get the stink out


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## kobe23 (Jun 28, 2010)

Dayhiker said:


> no, don't do that. you'll never get the stink out


Do you mean petrol and kerosene? How about that adding salt to water mentioned above? Lately I've just left them near the last running heater at home for almost a week, luckily none of the 4 forks crack a bit.


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## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

Slingshots rule said:


> Ill show you a pic of some that are drying now


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## derbyduck (May 1, 2011)

Slingshots rule said:


> Ill show you a pic of some that are drying now


[/quote]

Hi guys can you do this with the bark on ?only iv'e cut a sillver birch today that should look good if it dont crack the bark


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## Aras (Apr 2, 2011)

Interesting drying technique, gotta try this. So after a while you have to see an oil thing on the water ? I'll try it as an experiment

Edit: has water to be very clean or not?


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## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

Aras said:


> Interesting drying technique, gotta try this. So after a while you have to see an oil thing on the water ? I'll try it as an experiment
> 
> Edit: has water to be very clean or not?


Im not sure. i wouldnt thinks so
And yes uyou do she oil on the water
SR


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## El Topo (Jun 8, 2011)

seems to be paradox: drying wood with water...

I must try this...









It seems that the colour of the wood is getting a bit darker through drying it with water?! Is that right?


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## Peresh (May 3, 2010)

Ok confused!

So you dip the forks in water for a month and it dries it out ??? But don't you have to dry them when you pull them out as water has penetrated into the wood as well ?


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Yep you have to dry them.See my post above.


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## John McKean (Dec 24, 2010)

Maybe this is why my driftwood forks are working so well. They've been soaking around in Lake Erie for quite a while before I find them on shore (now totally dry and with some very interesting textures!).


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## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

ye they do go a bit darker but they lose this after a will.
When you dont find any more oil on the water there ready ( you have to change it every week i so) there ready to take out. when there out you dry them for 3-4 days depending on temperure. here down aus it doesn't take to long. if you dry it to quickly they will crack.
Hope that answered alll your questions 
SR


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## bbshooter (Jun 3, 2010)

After reading the post by...Slingshots rule...about changing the water every week, I checked a Bois D'Arc fork and stick that had been soaking for 23 days "without" changing the water.

View attachment 8790


Pouring out the water revealed the sap that had soaked out. No only was there a lot of sap in the water, but some was sticking to the sides and turning dark as the water evaporated, and some sank to the bottom.

View attachment 8791


Finally, the fork and stick. Right now they look like wet wood and slightly more orange than when put into the water. Before the water treatment they were pale yellow.

View attachment 8792


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## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

yea bbshooter i dont know what that smell is but i happened to me to
i dont know why it turned yellow my never did but it might be beacause the water dind't get change but it should disapear when you let it dry out for a few day
Please post what happens and rember dont put it in a to warm place or it will crack
SR


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## Aras (Apr 2, 2011)

do you have to remove the bark before you put it in the water?


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## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

Aras said:


> do you have to remove the bark before you put it in the water?


im not sure i wouldnt think so
SR


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## bj000 (Jul 21, 2011)

im going to try this right now.


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## bj000 (Jul 21, 2011)

i have this big 4 gallon tub used for olives.. its opaque and has a seal-able lid. still smells a bit like olives lol.
i put 4 semi cracked forks in there.. going to see what happens. next time going to try bleaching them.


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## bj000 (Jul 21, 2011)

ok so i have some forks soaking.. its only been a few hours and already the cracks are sealed up, and the wood has turned beautiful colours.its unreal.. i threw in some other ones i had around into the tub..


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## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

i hope it works out good
rember when you take them out DON'T dry them to quikly or they will crack beond repaier
Trust me i know cos i made that mistake
SR


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## bj000 (Jul 21, 2011)

ok so the ones that i originally baked and cracked.. they went into a soak for a few days and then i boiled them in brine.. i wrapped them up in paperbags.. i checked on them today and guess what?
the cracks reappeared and actually look worse.
next time i will dry boiling green wood.


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## Slingshots rule (Apr 5, 2011)

ok
um i laft my in there fork a mounth and then slowly dried them for a couple of weeks and the cracks dissaperd


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## bj000 (Jul 21, 2011)

Slingshots rule said:


> ok
> um i laft my in there fork a mounth and then slowly dried them for a couple of weeks and the cracks dissaperd


lucky. 
i do not think more time could have helped these naturals. 
the cracks were too pronounced before i soaked them.
i could fill the cracks.. they are not so big.... we will see.


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