QUESTION:

I bought some air-dried white pine. The moisture is at 10%, but it’s still oozing pitch. I’m worried that it will bleed through a finish. Any suggestions?

—Jules Harlan, El Paso, TX

ANSWER:

A coat of shellac works on older wood. On fresh-cut wood, however, the best solution is to heat it for 24 hours at 170ºF.

If the pieces are small enough, you can use a kitchen oven.For larger pieces, I make a temporary kiln from foil-faced foam insulation. It has two sides, two ends, and a top, but no bottom.

Make a hinged vent at the top of one end by cutting off a 6-in.-wide strip and reattaching it with tape.

Stack the boards, placing stickers at 2-ft. intervals, and cover them with the kiln. Use an electric heater to heat the kiln to 170ºF. Track the temperature with a thermometer. Adjust the vent to maintain it. Pitch might ooze and settle on the surface, but once it cools, it can be scraped off.

Drawing by Vince Babak

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

AnchorSeal Log and Lumber End-Grain Sealer

Good for both sealing the end grain of freshly cut logs and boards, this wax prevents end-grain checking and saves material

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DeWalt 735X Planer

At high speed, the planer works fast and leaves a smooth surface. But the slower, finish speed produces an almost glass-smooth surface. Knife changes are easy.

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Ridgid R4331 Planer

Priced nearly $300 less than the DeWalt 735X, the Ridgid R4331 is an excellent value. Its three-knife cutterhead left wonderfully clean surfaces on plainsawn white oak and white pine. It did not perform nearly as well on curly maple as the 735X.

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