# Can I stabilize, resin cast, or salvage these??



## rblakemore (May 1, 2014)

Looks like an expensive hobby is getting more expensive; and, I am now getting in over my head.  These pieces are fresh maple from a neighbors tree, some of it is heavily spalted and may be too rotten.  I need some help and advice please; refer to my post on cutting green wood in "Other Things We Make"; most pieces saved for large items; but, these are put aside for smaller items like pens.  So, look at the pictures and help please.
9T4A7280_IAP: this is a center slab with lots of spalting and the center is rotten.  Can I cut a strip out of the center and cast in alumilite as "worthless wood" and stabilize the rest and cut blanks from that piece???
9T4A7282_IAP:  This is a nice piece closer to the outside bark; should I cut this up and stabilize each piece or stabilize the entire piece; this piece does not have large void, that means that casting as worthless is not the best option for this piece??
9T4A7283_IAP: This piece has some natural grain, spalting, and rotten sections with grub holes.  Should I cut up and stabilize where I can and then make a mold and cast the section that is rotten and filled with grub holes.
9T4A7285_IAP: This piece has some natural grain, spalting, and more rotten section, in fact it broke.  Can I cast this as a large piece with alumilite and make worthless wood??  Should I cut off part and stabilize first?


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## MarkD (May 1, 2014)

I'll let others speak to your stabilization questions but if the wood is solid ( before or after stabilization ), and if you have the equipment, I would definitely try casting them with Alumilite.  Grub holes and natural edges look pretty cool when color cast.


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## low_48 (May 1, 2014)

Just asking, but you do know that none of that can be done while the wood is wet? Some of that material in the 3rd pic looks like dirt to me. I've cut through rotten sections like that with my chainsaw, and it really dulled the chain. Also don't know if it will still be on there when the wood is dried out. I'll let the rest of the comments to the experts.


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## terry q (May 1, 2014)

I would power wash to remove all the loose stuff.  Process the wood into oversize blanks to dry.  Any "rotten" wood that remains can be stabilized.  Any filling of voids should be done after stabilizing.  It is easier to stabilize wood that is already processed into pen blank sizes.  3" thickness is the limit which I will stabilize.  Looks like you have some solid wood towards the outside.  I wouldn't worry about stabilizing that but you can make that determination after it is dry and you turn a piece.  Your wood must be dry before stabilizing!  I "cook" dried pen blanks overnight in a toaster oven to get the moisture as close to 0% as possible.  Moisture in the wood pushes the stabilizing material out of the wood as it is heated during the curing process.


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