Stabilize some wood?

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epigolucky

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Jan 3, 2014
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235
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Indianapolis
Good afternoon everyone,

I have a coworker who has asked me to make a pen out of an old piece of furniture wood that has some sentimental value to her husband. She brought me the piece of wood today and it is very brittle and will not likely survive a turn on the lathe.

What would it cost to stabilize and would anyone have some time to do it for me?

I won't be able to get it to your for a week or two as I won't be back at my workshop to rip it down to size for a little bit.

thanks in advance!

-adam
 

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robertkulp

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Mar 26, 2014
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286
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Murfreesboro, TN
I have some buckeye burl blanks drying and will be stabilizing them in a couple of weeks. If you just have two or three pen blank sized pieces, I would be glad to do them for just the cost of return shipping.

Satisfaction guaranteed or I'll give you a full refund. :)

PM me if you're interested.
--Robert
 

robutacion

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Aug 6, 2009
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Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
I have some buckeye burl blanks drying and will be stabilizing them in a couple of weeks. If you just have two or three pen blank sized pieces, I would be glad to do them for just the cost of return shipping.

Satisfaction guaranteed or I'll give you a full refund. :)

PM me if you're interested.
--Robert

Hi Robert,

Good of you offering to do this for Adam...!

As for your claim "Satisfaction guaranteed", that is a considerable statement and one that I hope you don't have to eat it, why...???

Well, Adam has mentioned that, the wood to treat was part of a piece of furniture, and with my experience in furniture making and restoration, I wouldn't be surprised if the wood is saturated/impregnated with one or various chemicals and oils used to make furniture finishes in the old days.

Oils, would be your first concern, and if the wood is "contaminated" with anything that can compromise the stabilizing solution performance, the results can be far from satisfactory, indeed...!

What I'm trying to say here is, very kind of you to offer to help, I would offer to do them myself if no one would come forwards HOWEVER, I wouldn't make a statement like that, even before I had the opportunity to see what I was working with.

There are so many factors/things that can jeopardize a good stabilization process, some of which may be beyond our control, old, used woods, can offer a number of challenges that, you have to account for...!

Saying all this, I hope that at least my observation can bring your attention to these possibilities and make you more careful with the way you are going to handle this wood, in any case, I wish you the best of luck...!:wink::biggrin:

Cheers
George
 

robertkulp

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Mar 26, 2014
Messages
286
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
George,

Great comments, but I think you missed my feeble attempt at humor. While I will certainly inspect the wood to try to ensure success for Adam, I'm willing to refund my fee if he isn't happy. Except... I'm offering to do it for free.

Any rate, back to your comments.

Adam & George - These are issues that could interfere with any attemp to stabilize the wood. If/when I here from Adam, I'll go over this, and other points, to set reasonable expectations. It seems prudent to use a small piece as a test example before stabilizing the rest.

Adam, even with this information, I'll stand by my offer for a free dip into the Cactus Juice. While I can't guarantee that it will come out turntable, I'll still honor my offer for a full refund. (Another attempt at humor)
--Robert
 

robutacion

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Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
George,

Great comments, but I think you missed my feeble attempt at humor. While I will certainly inspect the wood to try to ensure success for Adam, I'm willing to refund my fee if he isn't happy. Except... I'm offering to do it for free.

Any rate, back to your comments.

Adam & George - These are issues that could interfere with any attemp to stabilize the wood. If/when I here from Adam, I'll go over this, and other points, to set reasonable expectations. It seems prudent to use a small piece as a test example before stabilizing the rest.

Adam, even with this information, I'll stand by my offer for a free dip into the Cactus Juice. While I can't guarantee that it will come out turntable, I'll still honor my offer for a full refund. (Another attempt at humor)
--Robert

Hahahah, sure Robert, I hear you...!

I didn't take much notice to the "money back" part, I simply focussed on the very first thought that come to me when I saw Adam's request.

I don't know your level of experience in regards to dealing with "used" woods and even if I knew, I'm sure that I would have brought your attention to the possibilities, and at the same time, allow others interested in stabilizing or that never handled nothing else but, fairly fresh and uncontaminated woods, I have less worries in stabilizing 5,000 years bogwood than I have with woods that once were part of old furniture, not all are oil contaminate but some are and really bad...!

So, my comments were more directed to the possible contamination issues than anything else...!

I'm certain that, if you get to do it, you will do the best job you can, that's all one can ask for, I meant nothing else...!:wink::biggrin:

Good luck...!:wink::biggrin:

Cheers
George
 

robertkulp

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Joined
Mar 26, 2014
Messages
286
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
The information and warning is well appreciated. As I'm certainly not an expert, I welcome the advice and expertise from those with much more experience than I have. Thank you.

By the way.. Happy New Year Down Under
 

epigolucky

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2014
Messages
235
Location
Indianapolis
Thanks Guys for your input. Robert, I will be sending you a PM shortly and I greatly appreciate you trying to stabilize the wood for me. I saw the humor in your "satisfaction guaranteed" comment :).

When I met with the customer yesterday I did explain the stabilization process and that it is not always successful, particularly with old and brittle wood. She did still want me to give it a try and see if it will work. So while i'm hopeful that it will work, I also realize that it might not work.

Happy new years everyone!

-adam
 

wyone

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Jul 16, 2014
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15314 Grasslands, Parker, CO 80134
as long as all parties are aware of the risks.. and possible failures... I say go for it. Plus if it does work, what a hero you all will be to the customer and she will remember that longer than she has the pens!
 
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