# Casting Question



## MrPukaShell (Jan 20, 2019)

Something I was wondering.  When you make the "Worthless Wood" type of blanks, does it stabilize the wood at the same time?  Should you avoid soft woods?  Thanks in advance.


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## JohnU (Jan 20, 2019)

It does not.  I would suggest using Alumilite because it will adhere to the wood better. It will soak in some but you would have to stabilize separately.  Casting under pressure will compress the air bubbles but stabilizing is under vaccum which pulls the air out of the wood and allows the resin to replace it when the vacuum is released.


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## Buckeyepen (Jan 22, 2019)

Worthless wood is a multiple stage process. 

Dry wood for 24 hours at 225 degrees then weigh until no change then let cool in air tight containers or bags

Stabilize under vacuum until no bubbles, turn off pump then let soak for at least twice as long as vacuum time 

Bake until thermo reaction takes place to stabilize wood

Clean up, sand bleed out that happens during bake.  You can also cut to blank size now or at the beginning

Cast with resin, I use hot glue to hold wood to hdpe mold 

Anytime after the drying stage keep wood in air tight containers  until you cast.  That will help reduce moisture effects with alumilite.  Epoxy is a little more forgiving but it is still better to keep dry.  Pull wood out of containers for whatever stage you are at then put back. If you were double dyeing during stabilization the first color would be accent color and you do not use vacuum. Just soak for a while then bake.  The second color you would use vacuum.   I am a rookie when it comes to casting.  If you need professional help contact Curtis seebeck.   He is the professor on this stuff and he invented the worthless wood and stabilization. He is also one of the most helpful people out there even if you do not buy products from him.  Also some good videos on you tube.   The steps I mentioned above are my way not necessarily the correct way.  Good luck.


Edit:  for worthless wood I recommend stabilizing, wood movement can cause wood/ resin separation down the road with movement.   Some like coolibah that are a really hard wood I did without stabilizing.   Soft punky woods would have had tear out a f you don’t stabilize.


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## DB in VT (Jan 23, 2019)

Not to mention that non-stabilized wood will cause the finished blank to have voids that fill with dust when you sand them.  Also, both turning and sanding, the resin and the wood won't stay round if the density is a lot different.


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