Where to get something stabilized?

[Greg Ketell]

I started turning a salt box out of a nice piece of spalted big-leaf maple. When I parted the lid off I discovered that the "little bit" of punkiness on the outside led to a lot on the inside. But it is pretty enough that I want to save it, if it is reasonable to do so.

So, does anyone know where I can get a 4" diameter by 5" tall piece stabilized?

Thanks in advance for any info you might have.
Gk

[Dan Hintz]

Have you considered going the DIY route with a half-an-half water/glue mixture?

[Dave Bell]

You use the home made method as Dan mentioned, or find someone local who has Cactus Juice to stabilize it.

I have also repaired small items by adding the finish to it very early in the turning process. After a few coats I continue to turn and monitor the piece adding finish as I go. It's a slow process, but it works.

Dave

[Richard Coers]

River Ridge Products, very happy with their work. No product to buy, no vacuum pump, no chamber to make, and no pump running for long hours.
http://rrpwhite.com/wood-stabilizing/

[Greg Ketell]

248947248948

This is the box I'm talking about. You can really see the punkiness on the lid but it is everywhere.

Is it worth saving??
GK

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Greg,

Do a search here on epoxy manhattan.

People have had good success thinning epoxy with denatured alcohol and using it to stabilize punky wood.

[Greg Ketell]

Thank you all for your info. I will do lots of research and probably use several of them. Ill be sure to post up the final product.

Gk

[Mike Cruz]

Greg, there are a bunch of people here on the Creek that would likely stabilize that for you...they just haven't chimed in yet. So, to answer the question of where to get it done, as opposed to how to do it yourself, either be patient and wait for someone to offer, or search for threads that talk about stabilizing. I'm not sure if the size of your box is too big for some of the guy's stabilizing equipment or not. I know that some of them stabilize pen blanks etc... Jim Burr is one of them.

[Greg Ketell]

Mike, you are prescient. Jim actually sent me a PM and we are going to meet up tomorrow. He has offered to stabilize it with Cactus Juice but then I will need to fill the weak/missing areas with something so the "thinned wood glue" and "acetone+epoxy" are still on the table.

And after reading a few of the threads Ken suggested I look up... I may be going to go buy a big jar of Pickles so I have a clear vacuum chamber of my own. Just gotta see if my Gast can pull a full -29 Hg or not. From some of Curtis' posts on IAP if you aren't pulling a full vacuum you really aren't doing yourself any favors.

GK

[Jim Burr]

I think we'll be fine Greg. Since it's rouged out and I can run a large vacuum, penetration should not be an issue. See ya in a bit!