Re-Hydrating wood

[Rob]

Has anyone attempted to moisten wood for turning? I have some Butternut that someone gave me, it's very old, and very very dry. I've turned some, but it's difficult to turn, splinters, cracks, etc.

 

[woodArtz]

Might try this...

http://www.preservation-solutions.com/category.php?category_id=1000

The Wood Juice sounds like the ticket. I've used sanding sealer with some success. Not sure about the concept of re-hydration.

 

[Kalai]

Hi Rob, I use a mix of water and dawn dishwashing soap 1/3 soap or more and 2/3 water, I soak the bowl in the soap water for 2-6 hrs or more depending on the wood, this will help a lot.
I have even used mineral oil by spraying a light coat on the bowl let it soak in for 4 or 5 min. and then do your carving, you can spray on more mineral oil if needed, you want it so soak in about 1/2 inch or a bit less. Aloha.

Kalai

 

[Rob]

Corrected the wood type, though he said it was beechnut, it's butternut.

 

[jeff...]

Do you have a pond, creek, river, lake, swimming hole or bath tub?

 

[DaveO]

Butternut is a highly desired carving wood with great working properties and a "buttery" grain. I doubt that wood is any drier than anything else in your shop. Wood will reach an EMC with it's surroundings pretty quick. I would suspect that you just have a bad piece of wood. It could have some drying defects or possibly wind-shake or it might have even been some limb wood with a lot of reaction wood.
Changing the environment in which the wood is in to a more moist environment will help the wood gain more moisture. Soaking it or throwing it a pond like Jeff... suggested will do the trick, but might be too extreme. It's supposed to rain for the next couple days. You might consider placing it outside in the more humid environment without direct rain contact and see if that helps to raise it's MC a little.
Dave