Wood stabilising

[marcros]

Does anybody do wood stabilising (pressure injecting with resin).

I have a few nice looking bog Oak pen blanks but they have splits in them. I don't have a pressure pot and setup so if anybody is interested in doing them either for some cash or to keep some as a trade, let me know.

 

[Lazurus]

I think a vacuum chamber and Cactus juice would be a better way to stabilise. Why do they need stabilising are they nice and dry?

 

[marcros]

I think a vacuum chamber and Cactus juice would be a better way to stabilise. Why do they need stabilising are they nice and dry?

That was what I had in mind actually, I phrased it incorrectly.

They feel nice and dry. I bought them 12 months ago and they have sat in a box in the centrally heated house. Prior to that, they were air dried in a barn for 30+ years after being dug up (I believe). It was only when I went top pack some up to send to Phil that I notices that some have some shakes in them. I think that they would explode it I tried to turn them.

 

[Lazurus]

I think if it was me I would give them a go as is. Once the centre tube is glued in you could always run some thin CA into any visible cracks to secure / fill.

 

[marcros]

normally yes, but on these that wouldn't work. I wouldn't be able to drill them.

If necessary, they can be put into a box until I have enough to make it worth doing something else with. I like the idea of cactus juice and having previously turned some stuff that had been treated there are advantages beyond being able to use "worthless" wood. At the moment, for a handful of pen blanks, it isnt worth the equipment cost.

 

[Dominik Pierog]

I buy pressure pot It can be used also vacuum chamber. Its 10l sicco paint bucket only what on photo. I remove attachments only safety valve was put back.
Add valve with compressor connector

now I can put vacuum or pressure close valve and remove connection to vacuum pump or compressor. Dont use gauges it will be damaged by vacuum. I add pressure tilt safety valve don't blew out its on like 4 bar(compressor have 8bar).

 

[Sachakins]

+1 for Lazarus post.
If you can get a vacuum pump, the vacuum chamber is easy to make using a pickling jar as if only doing pen blanks you don't need big pots. See this PDF file

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...FjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw3FUxnOP7J6F7epb4iyECov[/URL]

 

[marcros]

The pdf link doesn't work but I can google and found what you describe.

I do have a pump somewhere but there is still a couple of hundred quids worth of kit needed, plus the cactus juice liquid. it is a while since I looked but it I would need a pressure/vacuum chamber (make or more likely buy), some form of toaster oven (which seem to be everywhere in the USA but unheard of over here), some pipework and connectors. Then there is the resin- if somebody is using it regularly then a few blank worths is one thing, and the rest gets used on the next project. I dont have a followup project.

it is absolutely on the list of things to do at some point but I think that it needs throughput of blanks, and access to spalted, punky wood or burrs to make it worthwhile. Stiles and Bates have stabilised blanks at a fiver each which probably doesn't cover the resin.

 

[treeturner123]

Hi

Is there any way of achieving similar results without the aid of a vacuum chamber?

I might only want to do half a dozen or so a year as a small hobbyist.

Phil

 

[Dominik Pierog]

you need vacuum and pressure pot. if you work with resin. I find that hard way
Anyway pot for my photo was 300PLN + valve and connector 30PL so is total 330PLN its like 66£

About cactus juice there is thread on knife markers forum about similar resin selling in Czech Republic.

https://vacuumchambers.eu/en_US/p/Resin-ImpResin90-5kg/48

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Could you (we ) put jubilee clips around them to drill them then epoxy the relevant tubes in? Worry about the shakes afterwards? I have superglue, bronze powder ...

 

[marcros]

possibly. clingfilm might be better though.

yours are ok I think though and I posted them today!

 

[Ollie78]

Just a quick one about pressure pots or vacuum Chambers.
My mate got into pen turning, he made a vacuum chamber with an old pressure cooker and a bit of 10mm perspex. He just put the perspex on top of a bit of rubbery gasket of some kind.
Then used a fridge compressor to generate the vacuum through a pipe with a valve in the top of the perspex.
He used it for stabilising wood with epoxy and degassing epoxy.
Whole thing cost less than £10.

Ollie

 

[Lazurus]

If you are serious about using resin / cactus juice it is worth getting both vacuum and pressure pots. I made pressure pot out of paint pot and purchased a small vacuum pot - the vacuum pump doubles up to power my vacuum chuck so its all a good investment. I use it for spheres as below.