# stabilizing wood



## dscm1 (Apr 1, 2006)

what is the best way to stabilize wood on a small budget? About the cheapest stuff i have seen is Nelsonite. Is this stuff good, and is it as simple as letting soak then dry, and in a few days your on your way. I want something cheap and easy.
thanks!


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## alamocdc (Apr 1, 2006)

Some of us use plexiglass dissolved in acetone. Look in the articles in the IAP library for one on stabilizing with polyurethane. I've used that too.


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## Daniel (Apr 2, 2006)

Not sure of how well my memory is working. but I think that nelsonite has been talked about before. It leaves an odor to the wood that is nearly impossible to get rid of. the other negative is it seemed to be pretty hard to get ahold of. the company once offered free samples of it but I think there was a problem in getting there attention in order to get a sample. anyway. I didn't really hear,"don't use it ever" type comments. many have moved on to the Plexiglass desolved in acetone method or the Polyurethane one. seems to me that Polyurethane takes a while to dry out if you don't drill the blank out first.


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## dscm1 (Apr 2, 2006)

How does the plexiglass acetone method work? I don't have a fancy vacum set up. Is a vac set up needed to stabilize wood?


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## gerryr (Apr 3, 2006)

The vacuum pump setup doesn't need to be fancy.  Here's a link for building your own - http://sci-toys.com/scitoys/scitoys/aero/vacuum/index.html  You really need the vacuum to pull the air out of the wood so the resin migrates in to take its place.  Without the vacuum, you'll probably only stabilize the outside of the wood.


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## Glass Scratcher (Apr 4, 2006)

An article I caught on a flyrod making site described Nelsonite as acryilc disolved in Xylene.  If that's the case I would go the plexi/acetone route instead.  While acetone may be unpleasant to work with, Xylene is definately carcinogenic.

Of course proper care should be taken when using any solvents, appropriate safety gear should be worn, and proper ventalation a must.


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## dscm1 (Apr 5, 2006)

is there a link to an article with all the steps to the plexi glass stabilization method?


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## TomServo (Apr 6, 2006)

Not really, the general consensus is to mix plexiglass (break it up, size of pieces is not important) in some acetone in a solvent safe container (glass is good). Based on my experience, about a 1:4 ratio by volume, plexi to acetone. You want it to end up about the consistency of real maple syrup.

If your wood is really punky, (BuEB, spalted BuEB) it may penetrate enough just by soaking for a few weeks. I have some drilled & cut blanks that have been soaking about 10 days, I get my vacuum pump today so I'll see if it pulls any air out. I just drilled them with my J drill bit - It's no problem to drill them out larger, after all. I also put a blank in without drilling or cutting, and it sank after about a week. The drilled blank sank after 2 days but was still giving off bubbles a week later. Very few, tiny bubbles.


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## dscm1 (Apr 6, 2006)

Is a few days to a week about the ave time you let them soak? How do you know when to say when? Also do you keep the vacum up the whole time? Sorry if some of this sounds stupid or is redundant. I have never stabilized before. The closest I have come is soaking wood in CA. Thanks for all the help.


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## alparent (Apr 7, 2006)

Another stupid question from a new guy![:I] What wood needs to be stabelized? All of them ore only punky wood? Is there wood you don't want to stabelize (oily woods) Thanks to all you pros out there teaching us new guys.[]


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## gerryr (Apr 7, 2006)

Some woods can't be stabilized.  Snakewood, ebony, lignum vitae, colobolo and, I think, any of the true rosewoods and I'm sure there are others.  Stabilizing is great for burls and really great on spalted wood.  But, I've made several pens from spalted wood that wasn't stabilized and haven't had any problems, although I did use a lot of thin CA.

The vacuum only needs to be held for about 24 hours, probably even less.


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## woodmarc (Apr 7, 2006)

What about larger blanks?  Anyone have any experience in stabilizing a blank large enough to turn a small bowl or maybe a bottle stopper?

I have a lot of spalted Maple that is really punky.  Some of it has disintegrated on the lathe.


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## Daniel (Apr 7, 2006)

Marc,
 I could be wrong but I don't think any stabalizing process, even the pro methods will stabalize wood for much more than an inch or so in thickness. It has been a long time since I heard that info so the actual thickness is in question.


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## alamocdc (Apr 7, 2006)

Marc, you might want to try this (note: all three methods will require rough turning the bowl to no more than 3/4" thicness... 5/8" would be even better):
1) Find a lidded container large enough to hold the rough turned bowl and submerse it in a 50:50 mixture of white glue and water. I know, I know, you NEVER put water on wood. Anyway, this is the mixture that Russ Fairfield uses to stabilize his wood and if it works well for him it should do the trick. I'd leave it in the mixture for several days before removing to dry. I haven't tried this myself yet, but I too have a large quatity of spalted Maple bowl blanks and this is the next method I will use.
2) What I have done is saturate the rough turned bowl with thin CA. Depending on the size of the bowl, this can take quite a bit of CA, so be prepared for that expense (that's why I'll be using the white glue mixture on my next one).
3) Another method would be to send the rough turned bowl to a professional stabilizer.
Remember, advice is free and sometimes you get what you pay for. [][]


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## woodmarc (Apr 9, 2006)

Bill, thanks for the info, I will give the white glue method a try and let you know.  I have a blank on the lathe right now that is about 4x3.  Having a heck of a time with the punky stuff.   

I just soaked the chuck mount in CA to make sure it doesn't come apart like the last attempt.[:0]

If this works, I'll give this method a go for the scraps on some pens.  I got a Tech pen from PSI that Is waiting for a good looking pice of wood.  

BTW Go Stebbins Indians!!!!


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## MesquiteMan (Apr 24, 2006)

Marc,

I have had great success on punky bowls using epoxy/DNA.  I mix up some System Three Epoxy and then add enough DNA to get the consistency of real maple syrup.  Turn the bowl thicker than you want the finished thickness and apply the Epoxy/DNA mix with a brush until it will not soak up any more.  Let it cure for 48 hours since the DNA will lengthen the cure time.  Re-mount and finish the turning.  It will make the punky wood as hard as regular wood and will finish nicely.

I have done a number of bowls this way with blanks that were impossible to cut smooth without.  Give it a try, you will like it!


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## dfurlano (Apr 24, 2006)

I have used system three epoxy with Xylene in a vacuum chamber.  about a 70-30 mix of Xylene to epoxy. Worked fine for me.


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## Paul Downes (May 5, 2006)

I must expose my ignorance. With the DNA/epoxy method, do you first mix the epoxy(is it a two part glue?) and then add it to the DNA?


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## Firefyter-emt (May 18, 2006)

Question, I saw that site for building the vacuum pump.. Is anyone using hand held brake bleaders made for car brakes? Seems like the eaisers way to go.. This photo is from e-bay, a buy it now new pump for $25.00 That has to be close to what the PVC thing would cost in materials.. Just curious.


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