I had posted a few weeks ago that I got red blank from clark (a second in good shape). I know this thing had been around a along time, as I have shaped quite a few reds before and definately noticed that this blank was less prone to denting and very cured. It shaped sweet, every planer pass cut clean and level with the next. I know that there were some post a while back on cured blanks, but my question is: is there any real noticable change in weight from a fresh blank and one of the same density (green, blue, red whatever) and size? Does curing change the density thus impacting blank weight? The reason I ask is this is the heaviest red I have ever used, but it was also the easiest to shape.
mike - I didn’t even know they made a red blank. Good questions. I was under the assumption that as it cured it became lighter but I never actually weighed them to check that. Maybe I was confusing lumber with foam in my mind and assuming that since kiln-dried wood became lighter, foam maybe did the same thing as it cured? I know it “out gases” which has caused some problems for some glassers in the past. Don’t really know how that affects weight though. Maybe if the stringer is a little green it becomes lighter as it dries? In all practicality, it probably is negligible if there is a difference at all. The foam density is a result of the mix and that probably determines more than aging the eventual weight of the foam. Be sure to let us know if you or anyone else can pin this down.