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Spalted beech blanks

MikeD

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May 8, 2013
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Southport, Merseyside
I have a pile of spalted beech blanks each about ten inches long and one inch square. They are easy to cut on a bandsaw and also to drill. Everything is fine until I try and turn the wood when it rips, tears, splits and generally disintegrates.
I have tried a variety of sharp tools at different speeds but cannot get a good result.
I assume I will have to stabilise the blanks in some manner? Short of investing in a vacuum chamber is there anything I can soak these blanks in which will stabilise the wood without altering its appearance too much?
 

wm460

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After you have the blanks ready to turn, pour thin CA over then and let dry then turn. I only used a sharp skew for blanks like this.
Be careful as you will have to repeat the soaking a couple times as you turn the blank down.
 

Jim

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Oct 19, 2011
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15,617
After you have the blanks ready to turn, pour thin CA over then and let dry then turn. I only used a sharp skew for blanks like this.
Be careful as you will have to repeat the soaking a couple times as you turn the blank down.

Exactly what Mark says, at 1" you would have to do this quite a few times, also it is worth dipping the edges of the blanks into the CA also ... :bwink:

Cactus juice, I assume not literally squeezed cacti? Where can I get some?

America ... Cactus Juice :thumbs:
 

MikeD

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May 8, 2013
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Southport, Merseyside
Jim, thanks for the information on cactus juice, it saved me looking for totally the wrong thing.
So, I need some methacrylate monomers - don't really fancy trying to import that from the USA when I may be able get something in the UK. I'll contact the local dental lab to see if they've got something I can start with. I'll let you know how I get on.
Mike
 

naxie

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May 3, 2013
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Plymouth, Devon
I've been looking into this the last day or so. I have some very dried out burrs in the boot of the car that is love to do something with one day.

Here are some links that I found that might be of interest.

A simple vacuum setup:- Stabilizing Wood in a Homemade Vacuum Chamber | TheShaveDen

How to make a vacuum pump out of a tyre inflator :- convert a tire inflator-type air compressor into a vacuum pump

I have an old tyre compressor so I might have an experiment with it later!


My cousin has a business involving vacuum moulding with carbon fibre, plastics and stuff so I think I'll ask him for a few tips also when in ring him this weekend.

I'll keep you informed of any progress.:thinks:

Kind regards
Ed
 

Jim

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Oct 19, 2011
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Thanks for adding the links on the subject, George links to peoples questions or subjects are a great help so please do add them where you feel they will help. :thumbs: I have quite a bit of burr wood myself, someday i am hoping to do some stabilising with this. :whistling:
 

naxie

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Plymouth, Devon
I'll keep you informed of any progress.:thinks:

I have since acquired a compressor out of reasonably new fridge, ERM I don't know how but it was just was just lying there pipe neatly cut and everything. I think this might be a better bet than the tyre pump as it runs from 240v without any transformer needed and designed to run 24 hours a day.

Once I have my lathe back together and a spare hour or two I'll crack on with experimenting!

Any ideas on a cheap and readily available hardener?:thinks:
 

Neil

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Many moons ago I tried some wood soak hardner, Poly something from Turners Retreat. Expensive stuff at £16 a litre. I used it on some redwood burr. OK so redwood burr is a sotwood and it acted like a sponge. It did a bit for the wood in terms of strength but for what it did in strength it destroyed in colour, it sent it a dark brown colour that obscured the burr. Back to square one and on the advice of someone somewhere I bought an Ashley Isles miniature continental spindle gouge for £9, made my own handle and it is a brilliant little tool that allows you to cut as opposed to scrape with confidence. I dont know what experience those previous posters have in this thread so if I'm out of turn trying to teach people to suck eggs ignore me, but I have not yet come across a spalted blank that I havent managed to turn without it being stabilised, including a whole batch of very spalted Buckeye burl. First step is very sharp tools, we all know this and its been said. Cutting as opposed to scrapiing and very fine cuts. When you approach the finished dimensions I use Chestnut Cellulose Spray sanding sealer, not the bottle stuff from Rustins, that turns the wood a darker colour but the spray keeps the wood as it was. A good dose and let it dry and repeat the process until your down to the final dims and again spray before a fine sand with the grain.
 

Jim

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Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,617
Many moons ago I tried some wood soak hardner, Poly something from Turners Retreat. Expensive stuff at £16 a litre. I used it on some redwood burr. OK so redwood burr is a sotwood and it acted like a sponge. It did a bit for the wood in terms of strength but for what it did in strength it destroyed in colour, it sent it a dark brown colour that obscured the burr. Back to square one and on the advice of someone somewhere I bought an Ashley Isles miniature continental spindle gouge for £9, made my own handle and it is a brilliant little tool that allows you to cut as opposed to scrape with confidence. I dont know what experience those previous posters have in this thread so if I'm out of turn trying to teach people to suck eggs ignore me, but I have not yet come across a spalted blank that I havent managed to turn without it being stabilised, including a whole batch of very spalted Buckeye burl. First step is very sharp tools, we all know this and its been said. Cutting as opposed to scrapiing and very fine cuts. When you approach the finished dimensions I use Chestnut Cellulose Spray sanding sealer, not the bottle stuff from Rustins, that turns the wood a darker colour but the spray keeps the wood as it was. A good dose and let it dry and repeat the process until your down to the final dims and again spray before a fine sand with the grain.

That is a good piece of advice Neil, i bet nearly all of us has had some bad experience with spalted woods ...
 
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