Is this wood worth it and at what cost

[bedangerous]

Found this 15"X 25" log cut down the street when a neighbor lost a diseased tree. I cut one inch off the end to see the texture. It is obviously spalted and soft. The question is as a realities newcomer who is hooked on this hobby/addiction how much outlay should be made or not to make this workable as pen blanks.
Thanks,
Mitch

 

[greggas]

There are lots of ways to "stabilize" pinky wood. If you have a pressure pot, vac system, etc...then great...if not, without buying all that you can use thin CA....drench the blank, turn round, drench again, turn a little more , more CA, etc

You can also use Minwax wood gardner...but this is pricey and increasingly hard to find

I'm sure others will add a few more of their favorite ways..good luck

 

[stonepecker]

I seen a video (Ed's of Exotic Blanks) where he drilled the blank and then used thin CA to help at strength to the blank from within.
That would be the way to go without a huge investment.
I would check that video out, for all the information he gave.

 

[bedangerous]

Thanks I will look for the video.

 

[ed4copies]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlpZYKjc184

This may make it easier to find!!
Amazing it went up in December!!

 

[plantman]

Mitch; I would take one 5-6" cut off the end first. Seal what you have left on both ends of the remaining log, and set aside. Parafin wax will work just fine. Next take your slab and mark out pen blanks on the surface taking advantage of as much grain as possable. Or just start slicing 3/4" strips off your slab. I would think you could get between 40-75 blanks out of this one slab. Now the rest of the log can be cut into blanks as you need them, cut into bowl blanks, or resawn into 1/4 to 3/4" planks to be used for matching pen boxes or any other smaller items. If you have a large enough bandsaw, you could also cut the log into 1" planks, sticker, and let dry. Jim S

 

[Woodkiller]

There are people here that will stabilize it for you and can offer advice on how to cut it as well. If you don't have a large bandsaw look for a local woodworker on Craigslist that will cut it for you.

 

[bedangerous]

I would love an offer to stabilize blanks. I have a 17" bandsaw.

The wood on a pilot cut of 1" inch looks dry not green possibly spalted and dry rot.

 

[NittanyLion]

I would suggest you start with a dozen blanks. Cut the rest into large chunks. At a later time, you can decide to cut them down to pen or bowl blanks. I've got hundreds of burls and logs out back just waiting for me. As I need them for a project, I cut what I need.

PM me and I'll take care of your stabilizing and your introduction to Cactus Juice. I used the CA method for a while....works great....but nothing beats CJ.

 

[Wildman]

Not all spalted wood created equally. Spalted wood left on the ground or left rotting in a tree too long pretty much useless. Fungal decay left to do it's work, will result in the piece of wood just crumbling in your fingers.

So until you cut that log into slabs and pen blanks no way to tell looking at a picture.

If get some decent slabs cut into blanks try drilling if get that far without wood crumbling try Ed's procedure. I would keep you CA glue handy while turning also.

Have turned a lot of spalted wood pens without using CA glue and been successful. Can only remember completing one needing CA glue due to chipping while turning. Wife ended up with it, but gave it away.

I would not waste time and money stabilizing money, but I am not you.