Mantle piece or bench top

[Grampa_Joe]

This is going to be really silly or a " why did'nt I do that before"  type thing. But what I would like to know is: Since the wood turners have such good luck with the soap and water thing, what would happen if I made a trough and soaked my 3 x 12  x 6' mantle ? Or maybe one of my larger bench tops? I have lots of fabrication equipment, soap and water are cheap, what a'm I not thinking about ?

Mark - Member all those pennies, nickles and dimes them fairies give ya a long time ago!  Maybe they're sorry for ya now that ya got nothin to left ta cash in.  

[Furby]

So why not give him more pennies, nickles, and dimes? ;D

[CHARLIE]

Grandpa Joe, the only thing I can say is, give it a try. I rough turn my bowls to a wall thickness of from 5/8" to 3/4", so the water with the dish detergent really doesn't have that much to soak through.  I don't know how deep the stuff will penetrate.  Maybe if you left it to soak several days.  Try it and let us know how it worked.  

[Mark M]

Hey Grandpa - have you been out to the dump lately? They've hauled in a few loads of logs, cottonwood and box elder. If you want to haul some home and need help let me know, my trailer and wench rig work pretty good.

I am waiting for my milling machine that I ordered this week and when it comes I will make a set of adjustable legs for the mill so I can set it up a little faster. Then I'll take it out there to do a little sawing.

If you're in town this weekend stop by and look at my log dog house. I should be sawing on Saturday and Sunday if the weather is good.

Mark

[beenthere]

Grampa_Joe
I am curious.
What are you trying to accomplish with your thoughts to use water (and dish soap which breaks the surface tension down) to soak your mantel?  If you want the wood to pick up moisture (and the wood to swell) at the surface, then the water soak will do that. What other things did you have in mind?  
I don't recall that the wood bowl turners had a good explanation of why or how their water/soap soak worked for them, but it may have kept the wood from drying out real fast, thus slowing down any surface checking.

As I said, just curious, but concerned that you might mess up a good piece of wood (species is?) for your mantel.

[CHARLIE]

No one really knows what is happening but the theory is that the detergent is wetter than water. So it enters the woodcell and forces the water out. Once soaked, you let the wood dry and it won't split. Plus, you can sand and finish it immediately.