Stabilizing with vacuum and polyurethane

[GouletPens]

Skye recently sent me an article(http://content.penturners.org/articles/2004/polyurethane1.pdf) about stabilizing with poly using a vacuum (thanks Syke). I have a pressure/vacuum pot I built some months ago, and I was experimenting with PR casting and stabilizing wood. I was trying to stabilize wood using PR and I was never able to get it to penetrate into the wood to any significant depth, I guess b/c its too thick. Has anyone ever stabilized with polyurethane before? Does it work? I would love to be able to stabilize punky woods and some stuff I've had crack on me before.....

Also, do you know what the "commercial" wood stabilizers are, like what's used to stabilize the blanks you buy from Arizona Silhouette? I'm dying to know....

 

[sbell111]

I stabilize with poly. I thin it just a bit and it works great. There are many threads discussing this.

 

[Texatdurango]

Skye recently sent me an article(http://content.penturners.org/articles/2004/polyurethane1.pdf) about stabilizing with poly using a vacuum (thanks Syke). I have a pressure/vacuum pot I built some months ago, and I was experimenting with PR casting and stabilizing wood. I was trying to stabilize wood using PR and I was never able to get it to penetrate into the wood to any significant depth, I guess b/c its too thick. Has anyone ever stabilized with polyurethane before? Does it work? I would love to be able to stabilize punky woods and some stuff I've had crack on me before.....

Also, do you know what the "commercial" wood stabilizers are, like what's used to stabilize the blanks you buy from Arizona Silhouette? I'm dying to know....

Am I missing something here? You just read an article complete with photos where a member has been stabilizing since 2004 then you ask if anyone has ever done it before! Did you post this before or after your morning coffee? :biggrin:

 

[leehljp]

Also, do you know what the "commercial" wood stabilizers are, like what's used to stabilize the blanks you buy from Arizona Silhouette? I'm dying to know....

This has come up before and those that tried to get a "formula" were met with "its a secret" type of answers from the commercial companies. No problem with us experimenting - but they aren't going to give their secret formulas away. :frown:

 

[GouletPens]

Gimmie a break Tex...the article that I originally read about building a PV pot and stabilizing using PR wasn't exactly precise. I know how these things can vary. I was hoping for any additional words of wisdom from people that have actually done it. Reason I ask is because in the article, he uses satin poly...I know for doing hardwood floors, the glossier it is, the harder the finish. I have some leftover semi-gloss poly for hardwood floors that dries faster than furniture poly that would be good to try. I'm thinking I'll thin it down a bit before vacuum though.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

Only one way to find out...

Experiment, and then write an article for the IAP library!

Seriously!

 

[wdcav1952]

Gimmie a break Tex...the article that I originally read about building a PV pot and stabilizing using PR wasn't exactly precise. I know how these things can vary. I was hoping for any additional words of wisdom from people that have actually done it. Reason I ask is because in the article, he uses satin poly...I know for doing hardwood floors, the glossier it is, the harder the finish. I have some leftover semi-gloss poly for hardwood floors that dries faster than furniture poly that would be good to try. I'm thinking I'll thin it down a bit before vacuum though.

Brian, there are no spoons to feed you total knowledge on these subjects. Lee's article was well written and gave excellent leads to anyone who wishes to pursue this technique. If your main question is whether semi-gloss will work as well as satin, you might want to spend a bit more time researching the subject.

 

[Texatdurango]

Gimmie a break Tex...the article that I originally read about building a PV pot and stabilizing using PR wasn't exactly precise. I know how these things can vary. I was hoping for any additional words of wisdom from people that have actually done it. Reason I ask is because in the article, he uses satin poly...I know for doing hardwood floors, the glossier it is, the harder the finish. I have some leftover semi-gloss poly for hardwood floors that dries faster than furniture poly that would be good to try. I'm thinking I'll thin it down a bit before vacuum though.

In your first post you put a link to Lee's tutorial, is this the one you are saying "wasn't exactly precise"? I don't want to make a big deal over this but you put up a link to an excellent tutorial written by an excellent pen maker, which is more than adequate for anyone to follow. I agree with Cav, it could not have been any more clear if Lee had changed the format to; Step #1, Step #2, Step #3, etc.

Since we're bouncing things around in the air, here's a thought... What's a quart of poly go for, $8 or $9? You could buy a can of semi-gloss and gloss both for under $20. Then you could evaluate the two, noting the differences in hardness and saturation levels both thinned and non thinned then write your own very precise article so others would understand better!

I'd love to hear what you come up with.

 

[its_virgil]

The commercial stabilizers use a mix of several resins. They use raw uncatalyzed resins along with pressure and vacuum. The wood is then removed from the resin vats and heated in ovens. The heat is what cures the resin. The excess resin can be reused. The process is not a simple one.

Several members here have experimented with polyurathane finishes, wood hardeners, and even plexiglass dissolved in acetone. You should be able to find several threads on any of these methods of "do it yourself" stabilization.

Learning the process has never intrigued me. No one(as far as I know) has come up with a "do it yourself" method that is as successful as the commercial stabilizers. I think the plexiglass/acetone mixes have proved to be better for the "do it yourselfers". So, for my bucks, I will continue to send my blanks to the "real stabilizers" to stabilize them for me...no muss, no mess, no fuss... and I can spend my time making pens. But, on the same token, those who want to experiment and do it themselves then I say..Have at it! And, good luck.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[Fred]

The commercial stabilizing folks will NOT tell you anything concerning their priority formulations simply because it is their bread and butter and feeds their families.

Even if you were able to find out their formulation I know for a fact that the equipment is so very expensive that most of us could afford. For example research what a vapor pump costs. This is just one major piece of equipment that is necessary for the process to work. (I'll save you some time - these things cost $10,000 to $18, 500 or more) Then there is the rest of the equipment to buy.

Another thing many of the priority formulations often use gamma radiation to cure the resins. Good luck on that one. :frown:

I have had great success using MEK to dissolve clean, white styrofoam and soaking my blanks for several days. Different densities of woods soak longer than others. Pre-drilling aids in the absorption and ensures better results.

Like others have suggested experiment and record your results. See what works for you the best and stick with that procedure.

Good luck on your endeavors ... :biggrin:

 

[leehljp]

I will add in another thing or two that I learned:

I tried oil Poly and it worked fine on a pecan, oak, some local porous variety woods. Then I tried it on holly - I didn't like it as it made holly too yellowish. So scratch oil Poly on holly. I didn't like oil poly on bloodwood either because the deep red color changed to a slight shade of brown in comparison to the non stabilized bloodwoods.

Next I tried acetone/plexi mix on holy and it did fine. I tried it on bloodwood and it bleached the bloodwood a tad. The leftover liquid was very maroon-ish. I could see the differences in my stabilized bloodwood and non stabilized bloodwood and preferred the non-stabilized as far as color goes. I was afraid of bleed-over with sanding dust on holly and bloodwood, so I was experimenting to see how much stabilizing each wood - would minimize the effects of sanding dust. I finally gave up and now just stabilize the holly with acetone/plexi-acrylic.

Beyond all of this, each person will have their own preferences as to colors and hues that are produced with different stabilizers.

 

[cozee]

Skye recently sent me an article(http://content.penturners.org/articles/2004/polyurethane1.pdf) about stabilizing with poly using a vacuum (thanks Syke). I have a pressure/vacuum pot I built some months ago, and I was experimenting with PR casting and stabilizing wood. I was trying to stabilize wood using PR and I was never able to get it to penetrate into the wood to any significant depth, I guess b/c its too thick. Has anyone ever stabilized with polyurethane before? Does it work? I would love to be able to stabilize punky woods and some stuff I've had crack on me before.....

Also, do you know what the "commercial" wood stabilizers are, like what's used to stabilize the blanks you buy from Arizona Silhouette? I'm dying to know....

First, don't let the "can't you read" hecklers bother you. Some have simply forgotten where they started out at!!!

Here is what works for me (maybe not for you!!) . . . . .

1. I use Min Wax Clear Gloss poly and it works well for me. Sometimes, the condition of the wood dictates I thin it a bit to aid in penetration.

2. 20" of vacuum (suggested in the article) will suffice for very punky wood but with wood and other mediums that have more density, more vacuum is needed. I find 30" to 32" works very well. (And yes, despite the nay sayers, I use a pickle jar)

3. If one is limited on the total amount of vacuum they can pull, drill a 1/4" hole (as mentioned in the article) through the center of the blank(s) you wish to stabilize. This will help greatly in not only penetration but also in speeding up the process. This is definitely something you need to do if you wish to stabilize with PR. Another benefit of this pilot hole is it also helps to eliminate possible cracking (or worse) when drilling for the tubes.

4. Penetration times vary!! Sometimes it may take days instead of hours to get full penetration using poly. When using PR, look around for one with a longer working time to allow more time under vacuum before gelling occurs. Or make sure the PR stays cold while mixing and under vacuum. This will slow done the curing time, sometime immensely.

I hope this helps and if you have any more question feel free to ask!!!!

 

[Mudder]

2. 20" of vacuum (suggested in the article) will suffice for very punky wood but with wood and other mediums that have more density, more vacuum is needed. I find 30" to 32" works very well. (And yes, despite the nay sayers, I use a pickle jar)

I'm a little curious on how you can achieve 32" of vacuum.


Given that standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is 29.92 in.-Hg and the maximum change in pressure produced by a vacuum pump can never be higher than atmospheric pressure I find your statement confusing.

 

[GouletPens]

I agree that the article I just referenced it written quite well. I was referring to a different article that I used to actually build my PV pot. I'm at my inlaws for T-day right now, but I'll post it when I get back to my home computer.

Also, some people seem to be busting my balls pretty hard about asking for information, but they're also the same ones wanting me to experiment and post what I find....doesn't that make us one in the same?:wink:

 

[Skye]

Some here fell out of the womb knowing this information. It's hard for them to remember that not everyone was born like them.

We constantly ask for more info about a subject than what is given in a tutorial. Nothing written is absolute, there's always room for more details.

 

[cozee]

I'm a little curious on how you can achieve 32" of vacuum.


Given that standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is 29.92 in.-Hg and the maximum change in pressure produced by a vacuum pump can never be higher than atmospheric pressure I find your statement confusing.

Opps, my bad. Just guestimating the reading on my gauge since it goes a bit past 29" into no man's land and apparently need a new gauge. I went down and checked it out with my AC gauges. Been pulling 26-27" for the last hour.

 

[Mudder]

First, don't let the "can't you read" hecklers bother you. Some have simply forgotten where they started out at!!!

This bears repeating.


It does seem that a couple of folks forgot what it was like when they were new to the group. Is this any way to welcome a new member?

 

[Fred]

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=176923

The first section of the following article shows the autoclave used by the stabilization process. Attached in the left hand picture is the vapor pump used to remove absolutely every bit of moisture in wood. Read the article to understand a bit of the process.

 

[GouletPens]

Fred,

Thanks for posting that....that's a pretty kick butt operation that guy has going on there. Any idea if acrylizing is what Arizona Silhouette does, or do they do a soak stabilizer? I use a number of their stabilized burls and I'd love to know what general process they use so I can compare when shopping.

Don,

Who stabilizes your wood? I wasn't aware that you could send off your own wood to be stabilized commercially....it may very well not be worth my time to mess with it myself afterall if someone else can do it for a reasonable price. Thanks!

 

[GouletPens]

I've been getting the same kind of "go find out yourself" posts in a lot of my threads I've posted and I appreciate the ones who remember what its like to start out as the new guy. Like it or not, I'm part of the future of this art. I'm 24 years old, and I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but most guys my age are too busy at bars and playing Xbox to care about turning. So if you want this art to continue....you're gonig to have to be a bit of a philanthropist. That's why the forum setting is so great....we can all share our knowledge and further the art of turning no matte what our backgrounds.

When I do look for information like this, I do quite a bit of digging, but I can't find some of the stuff buried in the archives. When I post a thread, I do it as much for others that might want to reference the information as I do for myself. Likewise, I will post information that I learn about the topic as I do it. Just rather than spend my time repeating others' mistakes, I'd like to try to get the basics down from others' experiences and then try to come up with innovative ways to expand that knowledge. Isn't that what the IAP is all about?

 

[its_virgil]

I have used two companies. One is WSSI (Wood Stabilizing Specialists International) at http://www.stabilizedwood.com and the other is River Ridge Products at http://rrpwhite.com/

River Ridge Products had an introductory offer for pen blanks at one time and may still have that special introductory offer.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

Don,

Who stabilizes your wood? I wasn't aware that you could send off your own wood to be stabilized commercially....it may very well not be worth my time to mess with it myself afterall if someone else can do it for a reasonable price. Thanks!

 

[GouletPens]

Here's the article about building the PV pot that I used as a guideline....pretty good, though I had to do a little tweaking. I couldn't really understand why he chose some of the parts he did, I ended up modifying it myself....I also had a devil of a time finding a vacuum guage. Ended up getting it at Advance Auto....I think it's made for draining coolant hoses. I got some weird looks from the guy behind the counter when I told him what I was building. But that's all part of the fun, huh? I'll post pictures of the actual pot I built, if anyone really cares.

I somehow thought that Seebeck's article was for stabilizing woods, but it's not. It's for using resin to fill in large voids for "worthless" woods, but the resin is far too thick to penetrate the solid wood itself. What I'm looking to do is more of your run of the mill stabilizing...y'know just to make normal woods like zebrawood, bloodwood, and tulipwood less likely to crack after turning. I think I just might have to write my own article. Heck, I guess that's how you get known on the IAP, huh?

 

[wdcav1952]

I've been getting the same kind of "go find out yourself" posts in a lot of my threads I've posted and I appreciate the ones who remember what its like to start out as the new guy. Like it or not, I'm part of the future of this art. I'm 24 years old, and I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but most guys my age are too busy at bars and playing Xbox to care about turning. So if you want this art to continue....you're gonig to have to be a bit of a philanthropist. That's why the forum setting is so great....we can all share our knowledge and further the art of turning no matte what our backgrounds.

When I do look for information like this, I do quite a bit of digging, but I can't find some of the stuff buried in the archives. When I post a thread, I do it as much for others that might want to reference the information as I do for myself. Likewise, I will post information that I learn about the topic as I do it. Just rather than spend my time repeating others' mistakes, I'd like to try to get the basics down from others' experiences and then try to come up with innovative ways to expand that knowledge. Isn't that what the IAP is all about?

RMB....yes, my finish is a trade secret, if you must know I'll give a little teaser though, and say that since I got the Beall buffing system, life has been easier for me. If you hate finishing, then CA is not for you. It takes a lot of time and practice to get it right. I don't use CA. I have made a few with it, and my customers think it feels "fake" and plastic-like. Almost anything you do (besides CA) is going to wear off and allow the wood to patina. It's just part of the deal. Set the expectation as such and you won't have any problems. I personally love finishing. It's actually one of my favorite things. I love doing dying, staining, different types of finishes, chemical patinas, etc. The finish will make or break all the rest of your hard work....so you should learn to love it!

Brian, I think you will find people more willing to answer your questions if it is a two way street.

FWIW,

 

[GouletPens]

Cav,

Are you saying you want to know my finish technique?

 

[wdcav1952]

Cav,

Are you saying you want to know my finish technique?

:tongue: Brian, good comeback! Nope, I have enough different finish techniques to mess up already. All I meant was that if you want information from others you should be ready to share what you know.

BTW, I really do like snappy comebacks as they are much more fun than people getting angry.

 

[Texatdurango]

I can just see a post, four months from now..... :tongue:

IAP member: So Brian, I do a lot of segmenting work and find the need to stabilize some wood because it keeps cracking on me (probably the humidity here in Arizona) and it looks like you have done a bang up job on stabilizing your blanks, how are you doing it?

Brian: Gosh, I wish I could help but I created my own unique stabilizing process that took me over 3 months of intensive research, trial, and error to discover. Sorry I can't divulge more than that because it's a trade secret but I will give you a teaser, it works well with my secret finish!

By the way ole buddy, your segmenting work is really kick butt, could you share some step by step instructions on how you do your segments? I read some other material that someone sent me but it wasn't exactly precise enough and I realize I'll probably have to tweak your process a little as well but I need to learn somehow and hey, you making all the mistakes along the way is better than me dealing with them right? He He!

After all, that's why the forum setting is so great....we can all share our knowledge and further the art of turning no matte what our backgrounds

Brian, I'm getting to like reading your posts, you're a funny guy and add a certain spark to the forum! I never know what you're gonna come up with next, keep 'em coming! :biggrin:

 

[hunter-27]

I can just see a post, four months from now..... :tongue:

IAP member: So Brian, I do a lot of segmenting work and find the need to stabilize some wood because it keeps cracking on me (probably the humidity here in Arizona) and it looks like you have done a bang up job on stabilizing your blanks, how are you doing it?

Brian: Gosh, I wish I could help but I created my own unique stabilizing process that took me over 3 months of intensive research, trial, and error to discover. Sorry I can't divulge more than that because it's a trade secret but I will give you a teaser, it works well with my secret finish!

By the way ole buddy, your segmenting work is really kick butt, could you share some step by step instructions on how you do your segments? I read some other material that someone sent me but it wasn't exactly precise enough and I realize I'll probably have to tweak your process a little as well but I need to learn somehow and hey, you making all the mistakes along the way is better than me dealing with them right? He He!

After all, that's why the forum setting is so great....we can all share our knowledge and further the art of turning no matte what our backgrounds

Brian, I'm getting to like reading your posts, you're a funny guy and add a certain spark to the forum! I never know what you're gonna come up with next, keep 'em coming! :biggrin:

OH my!

 

[GouletPens]

Tex,

Wow, that is pretty darn funny!! BTW, do you think you could share with me how you come up with such funny posts? I read an article someone else wrote on how to write funny posts, but it wasn't complete. Has anyone else had experience writing funny posts? I think it's great that we can all share such funny posts with each other, that's what the IAP is all about :rotfl:

And tell you guys what....you want to know my finish so bad I'll tell you, but I'm going to make you specifically ask for it if that's what you want:wink:

 

[Texatdurango]

Tex,

Wow, that is pretty darn funny!! BTW, do you think you could share with me how you come up with such funny posts? I read an article someone else wrote on how to write funny posts, but it wasn't complete. Has anyone else had experience writing funny posts? I think it's great that we can all share such funny posts with each other, that's what the IAP is all about :rotfl:

And tell you guys what....you want to know my finish so bad I'll tell you, but I'm going to make you specifically ask for it if that's what you want:wink:

No thanks, I'm good! I do several finishes from a basic buffed beeswax formula, lacquer, polyurethane to my favorite, a CA finish depending on the look and feel I'm going for. But there may be some who are interested in an alternative finish since a lot of people like the "natural" feel of the wood. I'm not sure about Cav though, I'm not even sure he turns pens!

FYI, writing funny posts can't be taught, it's a gift! :biggrin:

 

[cozee]

RMB....yes, my finish is a trade secret, if you must know I'll give a little teaser though, and say that since I got the Beall buffing system, life has been easier for me. If you hate finishing, then CA is not for you. It takes a lot of time and practice to get it right. I don't use CA. I have made a few with it, and my customers think it feels "fake" and plastic-like. Almost anything you do (besides CA) is going to wear off and allow the wood to patina. It's just part of the deal. Set the expectation as such and you won't have any problems. I personally love finishing. It's actually one of my favorite things. I love doing dying, staining, different types of finishes, chemical patinas, etc. The finish will make or break all the rest of your hard work....so you should learn to love it!

I cannot seem to find where this conversation transpires within this thread. So since it is apparently a cut and paste job, could we please know where it come from so as to formulate an opinion of our own? Seems by Brian's response that he was simply replying to mention being made about his finish and not so much a direct question asking about it. Without the preceding conversation, to have an opinion would be to have one based on only half of what took place.

And as he has said, if you ask him specifically about his finishing technique, he will tell you. Again, there have been those who would not even come close to sharing what they have.

If one has all the answers in the world but will not share them, what does he really have? And more importantly, how many true friends does he really have!!!! And when it comes to pen turning, there really isn't anything new. Just simply techniques and methods found elsewhere and in turn applied to this craft. And even if one really doesn't share, sooner or later, someone will imminently come along knowing the same thing and willing to share it. So what has the first one who was unwilling to share gained except that their pride was puffed for a short time. I have found that more times than not, those who are unwilling to share are so because they are afraid of someone becoming better than they are.

My hat is off to those who openly and unselfishly share the things that they know!!!

 

[Skye]

Greg, I think he was fortelling the future:

I can just see a post, four months from now..... :tongue:

My spin is; If something is a secret, fine. There's no rule here that everything is a two way street. It's not a tit-for-tat system here. If a tutorial is written, then the information is obviously in the open. If someone has a system that works for them that they've developed then I think they should be allowed to keep that secret. Just because one person is of the mind where he'll tell you every single thing he knows, that does not mean that he should expect someone else to do the same as a sort of repayment.

 

[dogcatcher]

Along with what Skye said there is an issue of time. If the person that is asking the question doesn't take the time to research the available information why should the experienced people "donate" their time to give answers to basic questions.

To ask a question without searching first is being a little considerate of the other people. I don't see it on this forum as I do on some of the callmaking forums, over on those forums there are some people that ask questions when they don't even know what the question they are asking means.

Try answering this question without laughing. "I turned it to the right size and it was a perfect fit. Then I sanded it and it was too small, why?"

Sorry to get off track but I feel it also kind of fits in considering the track this thread has been going. I haven't been on IPA very long and have very few posts, but I have been a woodworker and a woodturner for almost 50 years. I would guess pen turning for about 5 or 6 years, so my status as a newbie is in posting numbers only.

Marvin

 

[Skye]

Along with what Skye said there is an issue of time. If the person that is asking the question doesn't take the time to research the available information why should the experienced people "donate" their time to give answers to basic questions.

While I do agree, the OP read the tutorial on polyurethane stabilization and was asking if anyone had followed the procedure and what types of outcome did they have. So, he did the legwork and was asking for first hand results.

Had he just asked out of the blue, then even then the polite thing to do would have been to point him to a few good threads. Even in that scenario, I think any time spent typing out a "Go search, noob." would use up just a little less than a legitimate response.

 

[leehljp]

Try answering this question without laughing. "I turned it to the right size and it was a perfect fit. Then I sanded it and it was too small, why?"
Marvin

I had to laugh at this! :biggrin: This "type" of question has been quite common lately. It used to irritate me (still does some) but I finally realized that people are serious and honestly don't know. There are "list" or "steps" followers who have very little deductive reasoning skills for most situations in life. Everything is expected to be an absolute prescribed path that leads to the same exact conclusion for everyone. LOML is one of these kinds of people. :wink:

The real problem is that if we start explaining with the simple answer to your quote (and I have before) we get a reply back that we come across as condescending. (Answer such as: "Were you not aware that sanding a blank that is already sized - will reduce the size even further?" Reply: "You don't have to be condescending!")

AS to the beginning of this post - Brian's question was an attempt at finding answers to some questions on some ambiguities that had many possibilities, and he had done some searches. I give credit where credit is due. His question as asked was unclear to some, but shucks we all do that and I do it a lot. Speaking two languages of almost opposite cultures does that to me. :biggrin: Often, that actually helps me see clear questions where others see unclear questions. :biggrin: But Clear questions are often unclear to me!

 

[NewLondon88]

This bears repeating.
It does seem that a couple of folks forgot what it was like when they were
new to the group. Is this any way to welcome a new member?

Agree.. I stopped participating in another forum like this when some of the
more informed members started heckling the newer members asking questions
about things there were tutorials for, but they still had questions.

Let's face it .. if it were simply a matter of reading instructions, forums like
this would be irrelevant and unnecessary.

Some people don't learn what they need from just reading the material.
In fact, most people don't. This is why schools have teachers, aids, lectures,
professors etc. If people learned just by reading, college might
consist of one day of picking up required reading materials.
Perhaps tuition would become more manageable.

Some people learn by reading several versions of the same information so
they can put it in some perspective. Sometimes seeing the same info
presented from different angles or just hearing it explained in layman's
terms in a different way can help form a more complete picture.

I hope this forum never goes the way of "RTFM" because I find it a good
source of information as well as a nice way to see what other people are
up to. Without the aspect of people helping other people, forums like this
have no reason to exist.

 

[Skye]

RTFM, lol!

 

[Texatdurango]

While I do agree, the OP read the tutorial on polyurethane stabilization and was asking if anyone had followed the procedure and what types of outcome did they have. So, he did the legwork and was asking for first hand results....

Actually Skye, you're wrong and you are just adding your own words just to keep this thread going. What he did say was... Has anyone ever stabilized with polyurethane before? Does it work? Which (without adding any further words) is just a generic question, not implying anything to do with the article.

And THAT sentence is what I found amusing and that is why I jokingly responded with.... Am I missing something here? You just read an article complete with photos where a member has been stabilizing since 2004 then you ask if anyone has ever done it before! Did you post this before or after your morning coffee? :biggrin:

See the smilies? Rest assured, they would not have been there had I been "busting his balls"!

That's it, that's what this whole debate is all about, but if one were to read just the last few posts they would think something sinister was afoot. It's amazing how these threads change, and also amazing how some delight in tossing in kindling just to see what flares up next.

This is my last post in the thread, ya'll add in what you think is appropriate and have fun.

 

[Skye]

Actually Skye, you're wrong and you are just adding your own words just to keep this thread going.

If you had looked at my post, I was talking to directly to Dogcatcher, not you. If you felt I was talking to, or in any way about you, you then maybe it's a problem on your end. OP stands for Original Post. So, why you felt like someone was attacking you is beyond me.

I added words? Give me a break. I made an assumption he read an article I sent him personaly, you made an assumption he didn't.

If you want to pack up your toys and run on home, that's fine with me and everyone else in this thread but to post in a jab at me from out of nowhere then hop on a high horse is a pathetic move. Again, I CLEARLY wasn't talking to you or about you in that post so why the heck you decide to throw dirt then run off like a girl is a mystery.

 

[GouletPens]

Well, I never would have guessed this thread would turn into such an emotional experience for everyone. I think maybe I need to rephrase my original question:

"I read this article on stabilizing with poly. I've done many things including building my own PV pot, setting up a biodiesel process, and digging up and replacing my own drain field sewage pipe, all of which consisted of methods that were partially complete or used parts and methods that are unavailable to me in my particular localle and situation. The concept of stabilizing with poly is appealing to me, since I've had some wood crack on me recently that was not stabilized. I was wondering if anyone has read this article as well and actually tried this process for themselves, and if they might have any useful tips or time savers for me before I go diving head first into yet another relatively innovative project. Forgive me for assuming that a person wouldn't give 100% accurate information in thier article that they posted for free, because it would be a first for me based on my past experiences.":hypnotized:

 

[Skye]

"I read this article on stabilizing with poly.

You mean you READ something that you talked about in your first thread? An act which would have been assumed by anyone giving you a little credit even given your low post count? Imagine that. Well, check the seas to see if they're turning to blood, I was right! I need to run out and buy a lottery ticket considering the amazing sense of foresight I must possess! Stand in amazement before me!!! *earth shaking noise here*