Well, my view points are that, I waited years to be able to buy a product that was made for wood stabilization and that I, a small little guy in this world of pen making/processing, could use without have to spend dozens of thousands of dollars in a commercial wood stabilization set-up, that has become a reality when the Cactus Juice was introduce by Curtis, (thanks mate)
I use a "few" gallons of it, and I import it all the way from Australia where shipping really hurts however, I have found that, if the wood is prepared according to "instructions" supplied by Curtis, you get an excellent result...!
How different that is to the commercial stabilised blanks...??? well not a great deal if it was done correctly and the woods used are suitable to stabilization.
Even the commercial stabilizers will reject some woods to be treated as they know, even their 5,000 PSI chambers won't do it to 100% positive results. Yes, that is what was/is used in most commercial wood stabilization companies, what type liquid they use, I would expect to be of identical nature, something that is very thin liquid, very penetrant and that will have to be activated in some way to be hardened...!
However, I disagree that, only very softwoods/spalted, etc., are candidates for stabilization, sure those are the most obvious ones for obvious reasons but, there is a very good reason why a medium and even hard density wood blank if the wood porous aren't too tight, to be considered for stabilization.
That could be more than one reason but, the one that makes the most sense to me is, stabilizing a wood blank that is going to be finished with the commonly known as the "natural finish". Only then I believe, the stabilization process becomes the best way to preserve the wood surface from getting dirty and worn out.
Any properly stabilized wood blank, can be finished with a simple combination of fine sandpaper for smoothness and polished for shine or rubbed with fine grade steel wool to achieve the matt/natural look.
Sure, one can soak the wood barrel with thin CA and achieve identical results, after all, the thickness of the wood left in a pen barrel (general terms) is easily soaked through with very thin CA transforming the wood into a plasticised product that isn't any different than what you endup with, on a stabilized blanks however, where things can differ considerably, is you easy you can go from full size blanks to a pen barrel average size, if the wood is too soft, it may be very difficult to take it that far without destroying the blanks unless, the thin CA and the flap disc are introduced to soak and sand & soak and send until you reached the required size, finishing with the CA soaking through what is left of the wood on that tube.
So, wood stabilization have to be considered into different categories in my view, what finish is required, wood condition, wood workability, CA toxicity/allergy sensitivity (you don't need to use CA on a stabilised blank),
dust allergies/dust extraction capabilities (stabilized wood makes a lot more fine dust than raw wood), own investment capabilities to acquire you own stabilization system and products Vs buying factory stabilized blanks or have a commercial stabilization near by where, you can simply take your blanks to be commercially stabilized.
There may be other reasons that could be considered that doesn't come to mind at this moment but, using stabilized blanks done commercially or not, has to be a lot more than, wanting to do it because you think that everyone else is doing it. I'm pretty sure that, those involved in selling "do it yourself" stabilization set-ups, won't appreciate my last comment as being a "sheep" but, this is a true fact and something that everyone has the choice of/for.
So, what I'm saying is, consider your reasons when it comes to wood stabilization practices, everything is now available to you for affordable prices and not like before (thank goodness for that...!) however, unless you are aware of what wood stabilization means and what it will do for you, you may be wasting your money and time...!
Now, one other reason to stabilized your blanks/wood that, I don't recall anyone ever to mention it here or anywhere, apart from me, is the fact that, one can use the stabilization resin and system to address one problem that some of us may be affected with and that is, the God creatures that simply love to eat the nicest of woods that you gave in stock/store...!
Yes, the devil wood borer creatures, there are far too many to number and each location will have its own culprits, I certainly have my fair share of them that, more often that not sneak on be without me realizing they are there...!
Was not that long ago, I have described here on IAP, a infestation plage that attacked my stock of raw vines, unprocessed and processed. In a matter of months I went from no signs of it/damage to, hell they are eating all my vine...!
About 50% of my unprocessed vine (Shiraz red) stock was destroyed for ever (had to burn it), the other half had to be treated with something to kill any of the tiny wood borers that attacked it, and treat the wood so that they wouldn't touch it.
There are many poisons that could do that but, what would happen to those handling it, after it leaves my hands..???
That was totally out of question so, I relied on the Cactus Juice to treat my wood and try to salvage it that way. Sure, if you have a pile of infested wood and you don't do anything, in no time the whole wood stock will be infested and will be probably lost and the best way to deal with it is to burnt it however, if that wood is not easily replaceable such as my Shiraz red vines, you may not be able to do anything to the wood that is far too gone but, if is something to be salvaged, you certainly would try anything, right...???
This happen also with the Truffle wood that was coming infested with huge grubs by the hundreds, they are ferocious eaters and that Truffle sapwood should be very sweet so again, I had to use the stabilization system to treat/kill/preserve any of the Truffle that I got. In between being under full vacuum soaked in CJ and then cooked at about 100° celsius (just a little hotter than necessary for the juice but, I like my "grubs" well done...!):wink::biggrin: and for about 3 hours, there ain't a damn thing that would survive to that, and any of the blanks that weren't affected at that time, they are now safe, the buggers won't touch it.
Yes, an expensive way for me, to treat valued wood however, is good to keep in mind that, stabilized wood blanks simply don't get affected by anu wood borers so, your wood is safe...!
Well, I apologise for the long post (again...!
) but, this had to be said, in my view...!
Cheers
George
