Re: Alcohol Drying (OT) long

I thought if you filtered the Sterno through a sock you could drink it?

George you can drink sock-filtered sterno, just can't ever see it again. Odd that adding alcohol dries out wood, but omitting alcohol dries out drunks.

I wonder if soaking wood in alcohol might, in time, result in off center, eccentric and unstable ole soaks; pieces of art that speak to you in garbled voices?

In the blush of recent alcoholic success, has LDD been relegated to the status of 'near beer' and denatured ethanol is now the preferred 'hard stuff'. Leif?

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Yeah, sure it does.

We seem to crave a pill for all our ills, real or self-inflicted.

Wood contains alcohol, maybe that's why it dries at all?

*sigh* LDD contains at least a couple of forms of alcohol all ready. Some turners have added denatured alcohol to LDD with the idea that it absorbs water and would facilitate "drying;" however, it seemed to make no difference. The LDD seems to draw water from the wood and replaces it with "something" from the LDD. Specific gravity seems to bear out that water is gained in the solution by the lowering of the SG. LDD is not likely a catalytic, but rather "something" seems to be drawn from it and the solution will require the addition of more LDD to compensate for the dilution. It would require a biochemist and fancy equipment to come to an answer as to what that "something" is. Thought we had one turner with those qualifications, but the tests were too expensive to run. You'd almost think this could be a PhD topic for someone.*G*

Leif

Leif, more likely a topic for a LL.D candidate. It will take a 'Philadelphia lawyer' to sort this all out. The wood may be 'cut and dried', but the physical chemistry sure isn't.

De-natured alcohol can wait while I do tests on the natured stuff. A wee dram of fully-natured ethanol, once exposed to peat smoke, is best for my good nature. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

"All ready for what?" ;)

Seems to me that you are making this more complicated and exotic than necessary. Since the SG changes, but without a change in color, odor, or temperature, and no precipitate has been reported, then it tells me that no chemical reaction is taking place. Might it not be as simple as the detergent is replacing the water in the wood? Dan

Lyn, Seconded and so moved.

Congratulations Dr. Soapy, keep up your wishy-washy good works, sir. If you continue your fine myopic attitude, we might consider you for Junior COC?

Not so fast Arch, we need to consult Kevin Miller before this gets out of hand.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Here here! I'll second that Lyn. Darn it though, I wish I was present to help Arch with his ethynol research.

Enjoy the rewards of fame and fortune likely to follow Leif. Well deserved...

...Kevin

Thank you! Thank you! I humbly accept the "honor" being bestowed upon me, but I must insist that the honor be shared with R*n K*nt. He is the prophet! I, but his humble servant! Praise be his name!

Leif Thorvaldson, Ld.D. (Hon.)

Barring any objections, it's so ordered...

...Kevin