Stabilizing your own wood

[ohio ramrod]

You mentioned you stabilised your own wood. Would you care to share your method of stabilising? :idunno:

 

[Rifleman1776]

You mentioned you stabilised your own wood. Would you care to share your method of stabilising? :idunno:

Don't mind. Very simple. I have a Gast vacuum pump connected with high pressure hose to an old 3 gallon paint pot. I cut up scrap plexiglas and put in pot with Acetone. When the plexi is dissolved (it can take several days) the solution is ready. I am not scientific about quantities. When the plexi stops dissolving I know the acetone solution is saturated. The wood goes in the pot, lid sealed and I draw about 23 inches of mercury for 30 min. to an hour. Some kinds of wood do not take stable very well. Cocobolo and other oily woods are like that. I find maple and walnut take it very well. Pieces cannot be overly large. I make pen and duck calls quite a bit. The pen blanks (3/4"X3/4"X5") go in as is, the call blanks (apx. 1 1/2"X1 1/2"X4") get bored with a 3/4" hole before going into the pot. That assures penetration and save solution from something that would just be drilled out anyway. Pieces for other small projects like pistol grips and knife handles are just fine also. Any other questions feel free to ask me. Only one I won't answer is my source for plexiglas. I get it free and won't divulge the source. Sorry.