burls and stabalization

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crashgtr

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How and when should a blank be stabilized? What is the benefit?

If I got my hands on a burl, do I need to do anything with it before I try to make pens or other objects from it?

thanks,
Liz
 
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Some burl woods are just looking for an excuse to fly apart while being turned. Stabilizing is the only way to go. And, many, after stable show a beauty that can be amazing. You asked when. Uh...before turning. [:p]
 
You can also stabilize after turning with thin CA. It won't have the same benefit as commercially stabilized blanks but will improve the piece tremendously especially when working with softer woods like buckeye.

I also try to fill voids/holes and reinforce inclusions (like bark, etc.) with thin CA before turning...and it helps keep the blanks intact as Frank said [:)]. Sometimes it is a good practice to run a generous amount of thin CA inside the drilled hole. I do that on blanks that looks like needing it....spritz it with accelerator and re-drill before gluing the tube.
 
Originally posted by crashgtr
<br />How and when should a blank be stabilized? What is the benefit?

thanks,
Liz
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Wood never stops moving. It expends and contracts with changes in humidity and temperature. one way to deal with this for penmaking is gluing the brass tube in the wood. this is more to give the thin wood strength then to deal with expension though and will allow the wood to crack when it shrinks. I have pens that have cracked even a couple of years after having been made.
true stabalizeaton in the form we are looking for fills the cells of the wood with basically Acrylic so that they cannot absorb moisture from the air and expend. this removing the woods tendancy to expend and contract. eleminating splits. being bonded together by acrylic also makes brittle or fragile woods strong enough to be turned.
I have had so much bad experience with unstabalized woods cracking that I don't offer anything on my web site that is not a stabalized wood, except those like cocobolo that cannot be stabalized.
be awaire that wood turners traditionally talk about stabalizing wood in regard to getting it to dry evenly and without splitting. this is not what penturners are refering to when we speak of stabalized wood.
 
I turned tons of burl and I never had to stabalize any of it, so far not a single piece has fallen apart.

- If there are voids, I fill them with coffee gounds and thin CA.

- If the burl is punky, that is a different story.

What condition is burl in?



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Ron
I know this is off topic from Burls but I was at your web site and had a look at those bracelets you made. They are fantastic. I would like to try one for my daughter and my wife. Are they hard to turn and would you be willing to share the instructions.
Thanks
Brian
 
Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA
<br />I turned tons of burl and I never had to stabalize any of it, so far not a single piece has fallen apart.

- If there are voids, I fill them with coffee gounds and thin CA.

- If the burl is punky, that is a different story.

What condition is burl in?



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Show off! [:D][:D][:D]
 
Originally posted by wdcav1952
<br />
Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA
<br />I turned tons of burl and I never had to stabalize any of it, so far not a single piece has fallen apart.

- If there are voids, I fill them with coffee gounds and thin CA.

- If the burl is punky, that is a different story.

What condition is burl in?



photo39.jpg
Click to expand...

Show off! [:D][:D][:D]
Click to expand...


Who Me??????
 
Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA
<br />I turned tons of burl and I never had to stabalize any of it, so far not a single piece has fallen apart.

- If there are voids, I fill them with coffee gounds and thin CA.

- If the burl is punky, that is a different story.

What condition is burl in?

I did say "some burls" are looking for and excuse to fly apart. And, as I also said, stable can and usually does bring out beauty not alwasy seen otherwise. But, then, I've never even seen that much burl much less turned "tons".


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Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA
<br />I turned tons of burl and I never had to stabalize any of it, so far not a single piece has fallen apart.

- If there are voids, I fill them with coffee gounds and thin CA.

- If the burl is punky, that is a different story.

What condition is burl in?

I have not cut into yet because I am trying to decide what to do with it ... From the cut edge it does not look like there are large gaps or anything but I did put sealer on the cut end as soon as I go it. I will try and post a photo later

Liz

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Iam unstable and so was this befor I turned it !! LOL I stablised it with thin CA after turning with sharp tools and a LOT a care !!! By the way it sold in less than a Hr on our web site :O)


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Basically you can stabilize almost anything...question is how much benefit will you get?

I've read that cocobolo can be stabilized...but with minimal or no benefit...so it is almost a waste to do so.
 
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