"Speed-drying" new wood - is it possible?

DartmoorHedgehog · January 2022

For the solid-bodied mandolin I'm building I need a couple of bits of wood for the top and back. It's a neck-through construction and the neck/spine and wings are proper wood, so the wood for the top and back will only really be mostly cosmetic rather than structural.

So... I've got some beech logs that are destined for firewood (big branch that snapped off a tree last year in a storm), but some of the thicker ones are about the right size for a mandolin body. I'm sure I've read about somebody on here who has made stuff from their own trees, so thought it was worth asking here before I do more general research. Is there any chance that I can get away with cutting a slab of beech and drying it in the oven or would I be wasting my time? If it could work then it might be quite interesting, as well as saving me having to buy wood.

Roland · January 2022

Speed drying wood can cause bending and cracking because the wood can’t cope with the internal stresses as different parts dry and shrink at different rates. So normally you paint the end grain to level out the rate of moisture loss, and dry slowly at about one inch of thickness per year.

With some types of wood you can get away with accelerated drying using a fan to increase airflow.

If the piece is small enough then you can try microwaving it for a minute, then leaving it to cool. Rinse and repeat.

How are you going to cut the slices for front and back?

DartmoorHedgehog · January 2022

Thanks @Roland ;;
I suspected it might be a bit of a gamble, but just wondered if I might get away with it with fairly small pieces and with it not needing to be particularly structural (I wouldn't even consider doing this for a neck, for example).
I've got nothing to lose really (except a bit of time) by experimenting with microwave and oven - a mando-sized chunk should fit in no problem. Worst that can happen is it ends up as firewood, which is what that wood is intended for anyway.
Cutting the slices will have to be a combination of chainsaw to cut a rough block and hand saw to cut the face - I haven't got anything fancy like a big bandsaw.
I reckon I'll give it a go and see what happens - will be an interesting experiment if nothing else. If it doesn't work out I'll just have to buy some other wood.

(BTW - the reason I can't just leave it drying for a year is because it's needed for the forum Q1 build challenge, which has to be finished by the end of March - using this wood was just a mad last-minute idea when I was thinking what wood I could get for the front and back)

Roland · January 2022

Beech is relatively resistant to splitting, which is why it is popular for chairs and tool handles. What's more likely is that it will warp over. As you say, try it and see. I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm going to have to take a similar approach with some of my wood for the Q1 challenge.

DartmoorHedgehog · January 2022

Roland said:

Beech is relatively resistant to splitting,

That's good to know - perhaps I've got some hope of ending up with something useable then.

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"Speed-drying" new wood - is it possible?

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