Stopping checking in turning stock?

[Joe Pack]

I just got hold of several nice junks of walnut, sugar maple and osage orange. They have minor checking now, but I want to prevent any more. I know pentacryl is one option ($16/qt). Is there another, less expensive option?

[Joe Tonich]

I've heard latex paint or shellac would work also.

Joe

[Joe Pack]

A little bit of web catalog surfing brought me to a choice between water base and regular (spirit base) pentacryl. If pentacryl is the preservation method of choice, is there a significant performance difference between the water base and the regular? There is a significant cost difference - about $9/qt. for water base vs. $15-16/qt. for the regular.

[Gary Hern]

Anchorseal is the sealer of preference for most turners. Buying it in 5 gallon increments is probably the best way for most hobbiests. By the 55 gal. drum is the most economical though. Our club bought a drum and a member keeps it at his house, selling it as needed. I usually pick it up 10 gallons at a time although I haven't been using it much lately because of time constraints.

If your wood is checking already, its going to get worse! Remove the checking areas and coat the freshly cut wood ASAP! You will have to remove ALL checking or rough turn it soon! Rough turning then sealing is the safest and longest lasting way of doing this.

Good turning,

Gary

[Steve Clardy]

full strength anti-freeze. He said it worked for him. I never tried it though. Steve