Bocote (Stabilized)

[PatrickR]

Here are 5 lots (of 4) of Bocote that have been stabilized. Nominal size, .75"x6". $28 per lot, plus shipping via flat rate box, lower 48 only. Thanks for looking!

 

[magpens]

Beautiful blanks !!

I have been working with Bocote for years ... never stabilized ... can't see why it would be necessary to stabilize Bocote because it is such a dense wood.

 

[Barnmb7117]

Woodcraft has blanks on sale for .99 cents


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[PatrickR]

Beautiful blanks !!

I have been working with Bocote for years ... never stabilized ... can't see why it would be necessary to stabilize Bocote because it is such a dense wood.

Only two reasons to stabilize. Make punky wood usable or bring the expansion ratio as close to 1:1 as possible. The second one is why I stabilize almost all woods.

 

[magpens]

Only two reasons to stabilize. Make punky wood usable or bring the expansion ratio as close to 1:1 as possible. The second one is why I stabilize almost all woods.

Thanks ... but I don't know what "expansion ratio" means. . Ratio of what to what, please. Thanks.
Maybe a ratio of expansion of blank material to expansion of brass tube for a given temperature change ?

 

[PatrickR]

Only two reasons to stabilize. Make punky wood usable or bring the expansion ratio as close to 1:1 as possible. The second one is why I stabilize almost all woods.

Thanks ... but I don't know what "expansion ratio" means. . Ratio of what to what, please. Thanks.
Maybe a ratio of expansion of blank material to expansion of brass tube for a given temperature change ?

Mal, All wood expands much more across the grain than with the grain. The closer to 1:1 the more stable it is. This explains it better than I can. https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/dimensional-shrinkage/
Bocote comes in at 1:9.

 

[gimpy]

WOW, stabilizing bocote. Unheard of. This is the first for me. Dense wood for sure, no need to stabilize...my two cents

 

[1080Wayne]

Radial and tangential shrinkage differences are certainly important in flatwork , but in something the size of a pen , I`m with gimpy on bocote .

 

[TonyL]

Beautiful blanks!

 

[PatrickR]

Beautiful blanks!

Thanks Tony! These did come from an exceptional board.

While stabilization may not be necessary (actually it only is when dealing with wood that is too punky/rotten etc to be usable otherwise) I look at it as insurance. It cant hurt and could help the pen last longer over wider environmental stresses.