Stabilizing kits available anywhere?

[Greg O'Sherwood]

I want to get into stabilizing as I have access to all the beautiful spalted and punky wood I may ever need at a very low cost, but I just can't turn the stuff without it exploding no matter how light I cut and I'm trying to keep my CA usage down. I've been lurking here and watching many of the vids and tutorials, so I think I'll get this dog a'hunting!

ONLY stabilizing is needed - I have no interest in casting. From what I've gleaned from some of you very bright folks, using the vacuum method is better for this than pressure. Lets go with that, final answer.

Is there a vacuum kit or setup available that provides all the hardware I need - cheap?

spank you very much,

Gregory of SoftWoodDoesn'tWorkVeryWell Forest:foot-in-mouth:

 

[rjwolfe3]

If you don't have a pressure/vacuum pot, try using the vacuum bags from Walmart with Minwax Wood Hardener.

 

[Greg O'Sherwood]

I don't have anything I think would be useful for this. I have a couple compressors, but no vacuum equipment other than a shopvac... don't think that'll help, though...


Are the bags reuseable? I want something that won't be a pain in the arse or waste cash...I waste enough on this hobby as it is:redface:

 

[Pen Maker]

Half of your solution here... Hope you see it in time...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pro-Set-3-cfm-model-VP3S-vacuum-pump-NEW_W0QQitemZ280317502740QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Pumps?hash=item280317502740&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

 

[jkeithrussell]

If you aren't in a hurry, just buy some Minwax Wood hardener, take a gallon jar with a good lid, cut your blanks in half and put them in (with a metal nut or something similar to hold them down), and cover with hardener. Let sit for at least a week or as long as a month or more. Remove when ready, set on old newspaper to dry, flipping over every few days. They dry relatively quickly (couple of weeks). If you want the process to go faster, drill a 6mm hole in the blanks before you dunk them.

 

[ElMostro]

This may help, Eugene
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38340&highlight=minwax

 

[TowMater]

Greg,

I have 2 vacuum pumps, you can have the smaller of the two for cheap.

Give me a call.

Todd

 

[Ankrom Exotics]

What types of wood do you have access to? Maybe we can work out a trade.

 

[jason_r]

For some actual data on vacuum penetration (with dyes, but
it should apply to hardener as well).

http://www.rziha.net/woodworking/experiments/dye_penetration