# Stabilized Amboyna Burl



## raar25 (Nov 8, 2012)

Why doesn't anyone offer Amboyna Burl stabilized?  I was turning a pen last night with a sharp skew and very gentle cuts but it just kept chipping.  As much fun as it was to finally get back to the lathe, it would have been nice to not spend most of the time applying CA and saw dust!

Is there a reason why Amboyna cant be stabilized?


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## lyonsacc (Nov 8, 2012)

I have not yet had the opportunity to turn amboyna, but this guy offers it stabilized Bad Dogs Burl Source - Pen Blanks 

I'm waiting to get better at finishing before I try some of the nicer woods.


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## Bigj51 (Nov 8, 2012)

raar25 said:


> Why doesn't anyone offer Amboyna Burl stabilized? I was turning a pen last night with a sharp skew and very gentle cuts but it just kept chipping. As much fun as it was to finally get back to the lathe, it would have been nice to not spend most of the time applying CA and saw dust!
> 
> Is there a reason why Amboyna cant be stabilized?


 

Amboyna most certainly can be stabilized! I used to by all my amboyna burl blanks stabilized from arizonasilhouette.com. Now I get most of my amboyna from a select few sellers on ebay and stabilize them myself. I have a very good vacuum chamber and mastercool vacuum pump and use Cactus Juice with very very very nice results. Some turners on here are very anti-stabilization for whatever reason, but I just as you get tired of the instability of amboyna's grain structure and the resulting blowouts. I will agree that not every piece requires stabilization, But I do stabilize all of mine just to be sure. I run it clear and have had "0" issues with it distorting the wood's color. And it just finishes out so well!

Here is a pen I did out of some Amboyna that I stabilized with cactus juice. Just sanded and polished. Absolutely "0" finish, wax, CA.....


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## mrburls (Nov 8, 2012)

Amboyna burl can be turned stabilized or unstabilized depending on the grade of burl sometimes. I get alot of my burls stabilized just so I don't have any troubles turning. But I have been finding very good grade amboyna burl with tight eyes lately and have no problem turning unstabilized. 

Also when stabilizing amboyna burl the wood darkens a bit. I have sold lots of stabilized amboyna burl here on the IAP.

Keith "mrburls"


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## Jim Burr (Nov 8, 2012)

I've used unstabilized for years simply due to ignorance. It does blow out and chip...just the nature of almost any burl! Having a stabilizing tank now, I may have a lash at a little experiment.


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## raar25 (Nov 9, 2012)

Interesting it does help to use the right size tube!  I dont know how it happend CSU or my error bu some how I ended up using Jr Gent II tubes with Jr Gent bushings so there was a larger gap between the wood and tube and the wood left on the tube is so thin its transparent.  It actually ended up a a very cool effect so I have another carry pen.


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## mrcook4570 (Nov 9, 2012)

raar25 said:


> sharp skew and very gentle cuts but it just kept chipping.



When you encounter this problem (with any material) switch to a negative rake scraper.  It is more forgiving and will greatly reduce the chipping.


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## edstreet (Nov 10, 2012)

I use stabilized amboyna burl. I use it on knives, pens, bowls and firearms.  It is indeed very possible to stabilize amboyna and there are plenty of good reasons to do just that.  The biggest reason you do not see it common place is the place it was stabilized from.

This is a WIP















this one is not,


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## PenPal (Nov 10, 2012)

Unstabilised Amboyna IMHO is incredible to turn and finish au naturale.

Punky timber deserves to be stabilised of any description. The inference all or none to treat is an obvious one not a generic classification.

I sure cut thrust embellish in so many ways as most people do using a huge variety of burl timber.

Enclosed pic of a pen finished this week using Amboyna sourced in the USA.

Please note constant failure to ensure timbers such as Amboyna an extremely wide variety of Rosewoods are fully dry leads to failure as you have described also IMHO.

Trust you have success in your search for the Holy Grail of the perfect blank observing the laws of nature and understanding.

Kind regards Peter.


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