Stabilizing VERY spalted Maple

[Dakcrew]

Hello,

A couple of weeks ago I was touring around the area with some family and came across a local wood seller that has beautiful maple, walnut, and buckeye in their collection. I left a couple hours later, yes I couldn't pry myself away without SOMETHING...., with several spalted maple blanks that need to be stabilized to be used.

here is the issue: I found some Polycryl at the local Woodcraft store and started the process of stabilization with this and my pressure pot. I took a couple of blanks for sacrifice to test with and put them in a 1:4 solution of polycryl and water, left in pot for 4 hours. let them dry and then placed them into a concentrated solution of pure Polycryl for a week under 30 psi.

I let them completely dry and they seem to have been soaked completely through, but when I tried to turn one yesterday it pitted and fell apart. Very disappointing. is there something that I missed or such? I know that most use the Cactus juice to do this, but I can't really afford the vacuum purchase just yet.

thanks for any thoughts.

 

[Lenny]

There is a least one member here who uses Curtis' system and will stabalize blanks for a small fee.
Maybe someone else can respond who it is...???

 

[jthompson1995]

I just started using cactus juice but have stabilized extremely soft (past spalted) white oak and it seems to have solidified them extremely well. Haven't finished a pen from one yet but turned one blank to round and it stayed together fine. Sounds like it would be worth a try with your wood.

 

[Lenny]

I remembered who it is that provides a stabilzing service ...

http://www.bangleguy.com/page/page/8464584.htm

 

[Jim Burr]

Lets talk Joel...if it's not a billion of them, I can do it for you. PM me and see if we can get it done!

 

[Bigj51]

I also can do them. I use cactus juice and have a good stabilizing setup. Splayed maple is awesome once it is stabilized!

 

[pensbydesign]

if the spalting is really soft and far along it dosent help much use the cactize juice

 

[Dakcrew]

Thanks all for your support. I just PM'ed Jim to see if he can help me and we will see what happens next. Looks like I am going to have to invest in a vacuum pump if I want to continue this in the long term though Wife's gonna love that.....

 

[MesquiteMan]

if the spalting is really soft and far along it dosent help much use the cactize juice

My experience is otherwise. I have stabilized stuff that was so far gone it was falling apart and it made the blank completely usable.

 

[Jim Burr]

Looks like I am going to have to invest in a vacuum pump if I want to continue this in the long term though Wife's gonna love that.....

I use a refrige vaccum pump, Appliance repair shop for $40, $6 in tubing and 1 fitting. Gast and other makers are fine and get to vaccum very fast! mine takes about 60 seconds to get to -28"mg, plenty fast. That and the price difference...easy choice for me.

 

[el_d]

if the spalting is really soft and far along it dosent help much use the cactize juice

I have turned Blanks that were powder before the CJ.



This blank was CJ stabilized and was very powdery before the CJ.

 

[Bigj51]

I use a dual stage 6cfm Mastercool pump. It works phenominally!

 

[Dai Sensei]

if the spalting is really soft and far along it dosent help much use the cactize juice

My experience is otherwise. I have stabilized stuff that was so far gone it was falling apart and it made the blank completely usable.

I agree with Curtis, I have stabilized heaps of rotten, wormy, falling apart dead, blanks with CJ, all with success. The main thing is to ensure they are dry before you stabilize. Attached are some I am currently selling in Aus - 4 x 5 different spalted timbers (some not stabilized though)

Cheers

 

[watch_art]

can you thread this stabilized stuff? easily I mean - just like acrylic or PR?

 

[Dai Sensei]

can you thread this stabilized stuff? easily I mean - just like acrylic or PR?

In my experience no, not the home stabilized stuff anyway. It turns the punky/wormy wood hard enough to turn without falling apart, but not hard enough to be equivalent to a resin blank.