Question about using white glue to stabilize

[Paul Williams]

I have some very old linden that I want to use to turn some large baskets. I was getting terrible tear out of the end grain. I turned it to 1 inch thickness and soaked it in 50-50 mix of white glue and water for 24 hours. How long do I let it dry before trying to turn.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I have some very old linden that I want to use to turn some large baskets. I was getting terrible tear out of the end grain. I turned it to 1 inch thickness and soaked it in 50-50 mix of white glue and water for 24 hours. How long do I let it dry before trying to turn.

I have done this for a trial, and yes it works but not worth the hassle for me, first you have to get enough glue to submerse the piece into it then let is dry completely and then the penetration is very shallow, yes more into the endgrain than the sidegrain, still very shallow and depending a bit on the openings in the grain.

I’ll add two pictures of this bowl after the glue and wood had dried, and then the end-result of the bowl with just an oil coating on it. HTH 317114

317115 317116

[robert baccus]

Like Leo I think faster penetrating and drying solutions work better. For "sorta" soft wood a thinned down lacquer works good. As long as it is in a plastic bag it will continue to penetrate. Softer woods get a thinned epoxy soak in a bag. Overnite. Thin with acetone aftyer mixing. Only a nice piece of wood deserves all this.

[Michelle Rich]

I have never used this method..seems a lot of work..I've used shellac on the tear out and it dries fast and you can keep turning. It stiffens the fibers and lets one cut more easily with sharp tools

[Paul Williams]

Thanks for the comments. I don't think this particular piece of wood was worth the effort, but I had heard about the technique and thought I would try it. After drying overnight it is still a little tacky. I think I will give it a few days before I try to turn it. I was hoping for a quarter inch or more penetration in the end grain. Less than that and I will be cutting it all away.

Leo, I love the grain pattern in that bowl. Nice work as always.

[Rick Gibson]

I use white glue to seal my rough turned bowls and it works pretty well. I use the glue more for economics a gallon is available locally for less than half the price of other sealants and no shipping charges. I just paint it on with a brush and set it aside until it stops losing weight. Seems to work well for me to prevent cracking but doesn't penetrate deep enough for what you want.

[Mel Fulks]

Curious about this one. Why not yellow glue ? Gives too much color? Or some other reason? I know just a little water thins yellow glue way down. I think it's 5 percent thins 40 percent. I think that's what the tech guy told me. Thanks

[Rick Gibson]

Curious about this one. Why not yellow glue ? Gives too much color? Or some other reason? I know just a little water thins yellow glue way down. I think it's 5 percent thins 40 percent. I think that's what the tech guy told me. Thanks

The way I use it to keep the bowl from cracking as it dries I have used both. Whatever happens to be cheaper at the time and whatever I have on hand. I've only done about 20 bowls but only one has cracked and it had a great big knot in the center of the side so I wasn't really surprised there.