Anybody use Polycryl?

[Keith Albertson]

I came into several llogs of spalted beech a year ago. I dutifully cut them up, and they have been airdrying for a year now. I've noticed some punky areas on some of the pieces. I'm getting itchy to start turning some of the thinner pieces........

I picked up some Polycryl at Woodcraft the other day, since it says it will stabilize the punky wood.

Anybody have xperience with this stuff? Will it work even though my wood has been drying for about a year? The directions say to rough turn the item before using the polycryl, so I' thinking I wtill may be in luck.

Any first hand experience would be welcome. Thanks.

[Jess Wetherhold]

I will be interested in what has worked for others. I followed the directions (16" x 16" x 3" dry spalted maple) and put about 7 coats on. It hasn't seemed to make much of a difference but I can tell you that it has been sitting uncovered for over a month and the outside is gummy and sticky. Thought it would have dried by now.
Good luck.

[Harvey Pascoe]

That's exactly what I was afraid of.

[Kirk Miller]

I will have to look tonight. I used polycryl, or it could have been Pentacryl, on a punky chunk of redwood. It appeared to harden it up quite a bit. Then I got distracted, and never turned it, and come to think of it, I am not sure I know where the chunk of redwood went.

[Art Kelly]

...works for me. Never gummy. Use it generously and often.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

A long time ago I got some Pentacryl at Lee Valley (they don't carry it anymore nor the Polycryl or PEG) and soaked a piece of green turned wood in it for a couple of days, I probably still have the rest of the Pentacryl and never used it again, the wood didn't feel like it was dry after a month or two, and felt sticky and had an greasy feel to it, so let it sit, it is still there up on the shelve, and last time I had a reason to go there the thing still felt bad, and must have sat there at least 10 years :( :eek:

[Jess Wetherhold]

An update from March's post- After the 7 coats that I painted on I followed the instructions and put the blank in a pot and submerged it for over a week, while most of the liquid was absorbed, the blank remained very punky and even cracked on one side. I think I will try the minwax as suggested.