How deep the resin should go?

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Ulises Victoria

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Joined
Oct 11, 2011
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534
Location
Monterrey Mexico
Hello all. I'm taking my first steps into this stabilizing process.
The first wood I put to stabilize was a batch of pignut hickory I got from slabs blanks and boards. The wood was terrible to turn. It just exploded in pieces when getting close to bushing level. So I stabilized a batch. I turned some of those this afternoon and I did not see any resin in the inside of the wood. It was still the same porous material I had seen before... and yes.... it still broke. So my question is, how deep the resin can or should go inside the wood? I let the wood in the vacuum chamber with the pump working for about 1.5 hour, and the resin was CJ. Was this enough? Shall I let the process longer? Do I have to see something different in the wood or are there any clues to tell me that the process was as it should?
Any tips or advise will be more than welcome. So far I'm a bit frustrated with this stuff! :rain:
 
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Shoot me a PM....I haven't had any issues with these blanks. And I just finished turning one late this afternoon....no problems.
I believe Pignut Hickory is so hard the resin isn't going to make it all the way inside the blanks. You might need to drill the blank prior to trying to stabilize? That way the resin can try to make it from both direction in this extremely hard material...




Scott (I'll make things right) B
 
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Make sure you are pulling 26-28 "Hg and don't be afraid to let it run!! Hours if need be. I wait until there are no...and I mean no bubbles pulling. Then shut off the pump and let it sit. There are some fine details to that, but you already know those. Bake it off at 200*F until the internal temp hits 200*F. Wood won't ignite until about 500'ish...well below where you are curing. Let it cool, and turn happily!!
 
Pulling vacuum is only part of the equation. Vacuum removes the air but the Juice does not begin to penetrate the wood until you release the vacuum. The common mistake beginners at stabilizing make is believing that the resin will fully penetrate the wood in minutes. My rule of thumb for customers is to allow the blanks to soak at atmospheric pressure ( no vac) for at least twice as long as you had it under vacuum to allow the negative pressure created inside the blank with vacuum to equalize by filling the space with Juice. I can get complete penetration in any piece of wood, no matter how large, without drilling any holes given long enough vac and long enough soak.
 
Btw, drilling a long grain blank will not help much if any. The Juice penetrates the wood following the path of least resistance which is along the grain. Pre drilling reduces the amount of resin needed but does not help with penetration. At least not in my extensive testing.
 
Still in the Dominican Republic enjoying myself and my family! Heading home Monday afternoon. Visiting IAP on my iPhone during my down time.
 
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