MesquiteMan
Retired Head Moderator
See this thread on vac vs pressure vs just soaking: http://www.penturners.org/forum/f43/can-you-stabilize-blanks-without-vacuum-test-results-91355/
Ed, with all due respect, this isn't rocket science. If the home spun versions of using CJ allow the user to turn, sand, and finish the wood and retain the visual appeal of the blank, and hold up over time as part of a pen, then who cares about the detailed chemistry/physics/biology going on in the background? Just sayin'.....
Mike,
If you are using one of my chambers, please don't let your blanks sit in the chamber any longer than necessary and be sure to wash it out with soap and water after every use. Cactus Juice is similar chemically to the acrylic used in the chamber construction and with prolonged contact, will cause a slimy film to develop inside the chamber that is near impossible to get out. If you want to soak them, take them out and put them in a big ziplock bag, then pour the excess juice in there and close them up. Either that or use another container.
The physics of what is going on, however, does not indicate that a prolonged soak will be of any significant benefit. I have done testing with prolonged soaks and did not find enough benefit to warrant the extra time. It needs to soak long enough for the pressures to equalize and that is it. Usually 30-45 minutes is plenty.
What did the haze come from?
Hi Ed, I am new and still learning how to stabilize. I am sure that your method is also very good and I will probably get to it eventually. Right now I am invested in this method and am only into my 2nd try at it.
If people want to believe that pulling a vacuum and throwing in one chemical is stabilizing then by all rights believe that but the truth remains obscure to this crowd.
What did the haze come from?
Running my vacuum pump in the basement. I have put in an exhaust fan tonight so this shouldn't happen again. I knew it was going to happen.
The spalted maple that I did tonight came out really good I think. It is much heavier than when it went in.
I washed out my chamber with soap and water as suggested. It was slimy that was for sure but I cleaned all of it out. I am going to try redwood again tomorrow. This is so much fun.
Get used to it, it seems to be a theme as of late.Sounds to me that Ed is calling me a liar since I promote the vacuum method! That is quite unfortunate. I have sent him a PM asking for clarification but have not received a reply. I guess I tried!
I'm on my 3rd batch of all different stuff and everything works as advertised. I use a simple fridge compressor and have no issue getting 28 in of mm. Cook stuff off at 200 for 8-10 hours and the best blanks you'll every find. Curtis, I sent those pics to the info email address of my plumbing set up with the fridge compressor. Keep it up Mike...sounds like you've it made!!