Personally, I would lay the wood on an old towel on the rack. That would keep end sealer out of the dryer and keep wood juices off the rack also. Let us know what happens.
Don't try it with magnolia bowl blanks. I have been working on a few and just letting them sit out in the shop more than two days causes
100% cracks. Paper bagging them within 2 days cuts the cracks down to 1 or 2%.
It's not the heat, it's the relative humidity. You need to get a hygrometer and seek out or create your own drying place. Fridges and light bulbs are guesses just like bags and boxes unless you monitor them once in a while. You have containers, use them, only use them with a sense of purpose and control of conditions.
Several people have already mentioned that speed and heat are your enemy when drying wood. Sawmill around here takes 7-9 days to kiln dry softwoods (like basswood) and about 32 days to dry hardwoods (like oak). I'm sure that they'd do it faster if they could. This sawmill uses sawdust and bark to fuel its kilns and it sure could make a hotter fire if they wanted to.
Pete Stanaitis
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Lyndell Thomps> I know it sounds crazy but othere than getting kicked out of the house by
Heat is not the enemy. Those who might think so are invited to read the kiln schedules at
Stress caused by too-rapid loss. Makes it difficult to get even drying. The moisture takes the easy way out and leaves shrunken fiber, while other, less accessible places are still expanded.
Haste makes waste?
I'm sure you're not the first fool to try it - it doesn't get hot enough to burn the wood... just think of the quantity of kleenex and paper money that goes through the dryer and doesn't burst into flames.
The dryer's purpose is to heat the clothing while it tumbles the load to distribute the heat and vent the moisture-laden heated air out of the machine. With your wood pieces, you don't need to tumble at all or vent so aggressively. Both will waste money when the machine is used as a kiln.
Try placing a thermometer on the rack in the dryer and run it for 5 or
10 minutes to see how hot it runs, then set your kitchen oven to the same temp. You'll save money and wear'n'tear on the dryer motor.Using either method, though, I think you'll find the rapid drying too harsh for the wood to not show defects.
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