boiling instructions

OK, I went and did it. I picked up an after Christmas turkey fryer and a propane bottle. It cost me more for the full bottle of propane than the cooker.

Now for the ins and outs.

The general rule I've seen from reading is one hour of boiling for one inch of thickness left in the roughed out turning.

However, after that opinions seem to differ.

One place said leave the wood in the water until it cools. One said take it out and set it aside. One said take it out and put it in a paper bag

Also does the size of the tenon matter or should I boil for the thickness of the sides or the tenon?

There seem to be no guidlines for how long to leave the rough turning before you can finish turning it. I was thinking of measuring the weight of the piece every week.

William, I've only boiled Madrone, because it needs it. I've followed the crowd that advocates leaving the walls 10% of diameter and then boiling for 3 to 4 hours depending on the size of the blank. I've also left the blank in the water until it is room temperature. Then since the advent of alcohol soaking to assist drying I've saoked 24 hours in Denatured alcohol and wrapped the bottom and sealed in around the top lip. Then store it out of the sun and where air can circulate into the interior to dry it out. Madrone usually grows a beard of mold which can be truned away after the blank is dry. I don't have a scale or a moisture meter, just go by feel and it is usually two to three months before I final turn and finish. Most of the Madrone I turn is over 12" and I've had good success with this method. For wood prone to splitting and cracking, like fruit wood and reactionary blanks boiling can't hurt. Good luck Roger Dunn