How dry is dry?

[CEPenworks]

I am fairly new to turning. I started about 4 years ago when my daughter asked if we could make pens. I am trying to step up my game a little and trying peppermills. I bought some 3"x3" blanks from Cook Woods and they said they were air dried from 1-2 years depending on the wood. They have been waxed and claim there could be residual moisture. I was watching a video on making peppermills and they commented you want the blank totally dry. Do I need to scrape the wax off these blanks and let them sit for another couple years?

[imapseudonym]

Assuming the blanks were waxed while still green, I would not assume they are dry. Wax is very good at its job of slowing moisture loss. I don't do pepper mills but I wouldn't want to do them in green wood - my understanding is that it is a pretty tight fit for the inserts and if turned green when the wood shrinks as it dries...kabloooie!

Remove the wax (leave it on the end grain) and weight them with an accurate kitchen/postal scale. Look for them to stop losing weight before turning.

[Arlin Eastman]

you can turn it a little between centers and drill a 1" hole to let it dry faster but i would not take much of the wax off.  I have not done this but others have a while back of putting it a microwave oven for a few minutes but wait for others to chime in about it ok.

There are times wax is left on on purpose and I think this is one of them.  I bought a piece of wood and it was partly dry when i got it so do what i said and wait to here of anyone about microwaving or oven/toaster oven.