can this Walnut board be saved

[Zahid Naqvi]

I got this board a few days ago. I took pictures from both sides, this is right out of a planer and obviously handplaning or sanding will enhance the figure even more. I put a little mineral oil(actually mineral spirits as caught by Howard) on one side (the picture at right). As you can see there is a piece of dried wood which is loose and I am sure will fall off. But the figure surrounding it is interesting. I think if resawn it might be possible to create a book matched piece. The dried loose piece is the concern though. Is there any way to saturate this with some kind of glue which will stabilize it. Not sure.

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[Dick Rowe]

In a Woodworks episode I saw David Marks use thin super glue to preserve some 'punky' spots on a board.

I had an opportunity to try it a while back on some aromatic cedar and it worked well.

You have to use the thin stuff, and let it really soak in from both sides.

Good luck!

[Mark Singer]

Actually it is the character of the wood....if you want it filled...epoxy and sawdust...If you want the void, which I prefer...hide glue and light sanding with 150 in the knot while the glue is pasty...then a little glue topping

[Zahid Naqvi]

Well I have to make a coffee table soon and when I saw this I thought this would make a great bookmatched top. The board is about 1" thick so it will need some kind of substrate. What I don't want is a wobbly knot which might fall off. If I can secure it without compromising the "natural look" that'd be great. It's a coffee table so it will get used as such a filled knot might server better. Hopefully epoxy will dry clear and it will have minimum visual impact.

So Mark, you saying I should keep it as it is? So how would this hide glue process work. Let's say I get it resawn and after planing/smoothing it gets down to around 3/8" thick or maybe even 1/4", I stick it on 3/4" MDF or Ply (can I use solid wood as substrate which will solve my problem of hiding MDF or plywood edges), after that I start sanding the surface. Would I apply the hide glue to the knot at this point or should this be done at any other stage.

[lou sansone]

hi Zahid

I absolutely love black walnut, and have quite a bit of it due to the walnut addiction, but I have to say that I don't favor keeping the knot. I usually remove such pieces and count the loss. the knot is a sound knot and will probably not fall out, but personally I think it detracts from the wood. But that is just me.

Best wishes with the King of the Woods
Lou

[Rick Levine]

Jahid,

Check out this site: http://www.caglue.com. I ordered a pack of their glues for the same reason you have. I wanted to secure the knots in some wood I was using for a project after watching one of David Marks episodes.

[Dick Bringhurst]

I'm anotner proponent of ca glue. Dick B.

[Jim Becker]

Is it the bark inclusion you're concerned with?? I generally leave them be, such as I did on my recent walnut natural edge bench project. If you feel it is too loose, you can secure it with CA. Do keep in mind that it might affect your ablity to leverage oil in the finishing process, but since many folks prefer to skip the oil and go right to shellac, that would be less of an issue.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Is it the bark inclusion you're concerned with??

Jim it's this section I am concerned about, I don't know whether it's a knot or just rotten wood. But if I take it out it would leave a gaping hole, if I keep it in it needs to be stabilized.
50853

[Kristian Wild]

Yeah that looks like a bark pocket. On the reclaimed wood we use at work I often have to use stuff like this or pieces with loose knots or other loose bits. I mix up some five-minuite epoxy and powdered pigment stain to mach the tone of the wood around it after it's finished. if you can warm the area of the bark pocket before you start it will thin the epoxy and it will seep way deeper into the voids before it gels. Be aware that it will also accelerate the gelling process considerably.

If the void goes all the way through you can also use a vacuum on the back side to suck the epoxy through small openings. Once it reaches the other side I just cover it up with masking tape to keep it from dripping out the far side before it gels.

I'm always intrigued by interesting pieces like that. It's a sure sign that I've picked a board that will be way more work than I initially anticipated...

Kris

[Chris Barton]

That is a bark inclusion and I work with them on curly maple often. Yours appears to be penetrating the board on both sides and the easiest way to deal with it would be to follow Mark's suggestion and mix up some 5 minutes epoxy with a generouos helping of walnut sawdust creating somthing about the consistency of toothpaste and just fill the viod. Another option would be to inlay a dutchman...

[John Miliunas]

Zahid, I just got finished with a mini-project out of Walnut for the LOML. Had a similar situation with my Walnut, though it was not as large. I first doused the area with thin CA glue (protect your work surface underneath with some wax paper!) and hit it with some accelerator, to kind of "seal" the whole thing. Then, I started in with some medium CA and fine Walnut sawdust. In my case, I dribbled the CA in and then "forced" the sawdust into it right on the piece, hit it w/accelerator. A quick hit with the ROS to get errant CA off the smooth surface, then repeat until the void was solid. Once done with the whole thing (the process sounds more intense than it really is, BTW), I finish sanded, oiled and hit it with my clear. Turned out great! :) And, I agree that, the surrounding wood around such voids is the most gorgeous! On mine, it almost looked "burl-like", with a hint of curly to it. Very pretty! :) FWIW, in my shop, CA glue is one of my best friends! 'Course, you need to remember that I'm a turner, as well! :D :cool:

[Howard Acheson]

>> I put a little mineral oil on one side (the picture at right).

Did you mean "mineral oil" or "mineral spirits"?

Mineral oil may interfer with the finishing process. Usually, mineral spirits is used to preview wood appearence because it completely evaporates and leaves no contaminates to cause finishing problems.

[Bob Swenson]

Zahid --Mineral oil is a non drying oil recommended for use on butcher-block tops,
I don’t believe it should be used where other finishes will ever be used over it.
It’s also used as a laxative so all is not lost:rolleyes:
Bob

[Zahid Naqvi]

>> I put a little mineral oil on one side (the picture at right).

Did you mean "mineral oil" or "mineral spirits"?


Thanks for catching that, it was mineral spirits, slow fingers fast brain :rolleyes: .