CA container for stabilization?

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
S

spaceengravers

Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2009
Messages
107
Location
Stillwater, OK
I ordered a larger bottle of thin CA with the idea that I can use it to stabilize things that need it. But I was wondering if the CA will melt or other wise damage plastic containers...I was thinking I could use a plastic tupperware type bowl with a lid to soak things in that need stabilized, will this work?

Mike
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
But have in mind that if you dip something in the CA it may cause the complete batch of CA to solidify so you may only have one try, also with the additional surface area you may have a SIGNIFICANT amount of fumes as the CA cures..

Eugene
 
spaceengravers said:
I ordered a larger bottle of thin CA with the idea that I can use it to stabilize things that need it. But I was wondering if the CA will melt or other wise damage plastic containers...I was thinking I could use a plastic tupperware type bowl with a lid to soak things in that need stabilized, will this work?

Mike
Click to expand...

Mike,

It should work, as most plastics are very comparable with CA, you can always make a little test with a couple of drops of CA of the container you want to use, and wait for reaction. Also using a pressure pot would make the CA penetrate better and in a third of the time.

A square 2kg ice cream container is just right for this, you fit 6 blanks on each layer, cross the layers and you will fit 24 blanks. The problem is the amount of CA needed to cover the blanks with, so that they can soak the CA properly, and that is approx. 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 litres of CA or any other hardening product.

I don't know, how large is that bottle of yours, but I never seen CA sold in any larger bottles than 50gr and that is plenty for finishing pens and so but not enough to soak much more than 1 x blank:eek:

I'm doing some stabilization at the moment using my pressure pot and the wood hardener that I use, Earl's wood hardener from Timbermate is sold in the local hardware store but the biggest container they have is 1 litre and the price went from $65 to $69 these last couple of months so, 1 litre was just enough to cover the first 3 layers of 6 blanks each, left overnight in the pot, this morning I removed the 18 wet blanks and strained what was left in the ice cream container and I had left about 350ml of the initial 1.000ml.

Put another 2 layers of blanks in the container, tipped all the hardener left from the first go into it and the hardener solution hardly reached half way on the second layer of blanks (top ones) . Tomorrow I will remove the bottom layer and turn the top layer upside down, hopefully I will have enough solution to soak into the other top half blanks that are missing out tonight.

If I do, then it means that 1 litre @ $70 treated about 30 very soft blanks at a cost of $2.50 per blank...:eek: bloody hell.....!:frown: a less soft blank would cost about $2.00 or so! This will put the blank total cost price up considerably from the initial cost of $1.00 for the blank alone!

OK, this particular wood was extremely soft all trough so the amount of soaking is also extreme, a lot more that a lesser soft blank would need. In any case, and the reason why I'm stabilizing these blanks is that I manage to stop this wood roting just in the right time, after the spalting was fully developed and the colours and effects are just out of this world, believe me!

I turned already a couple of sample blanks today after I accelerated the drying process with a heat gun, they are ready to finish tomorrow, you will see what I mean when I put them in here...!:eek::biggrin:

I still believe that for stabilization purposes, if you have a certain quantity to do, it would be cheaper and safer to use a timber hardener even at $70 per litre. I can't even imagine how much 1 litre of CA would cost...!

Keep us update on what you end-up doing!
Good luck.

Cheers
George
 
Last edited:
So it sounds like CA might not be the best way to go for stabilizing....George is using a locally procured wood harder, what do the rest of you use?

Thanks,

Mike
 
Ca would not be my choice to stabilize an entire pen blank. It only takes a small amount of anything slightly acidic to start the hardening process (there was a discussion about this some weeks ago but I couldn't find the thread) and all you would end up with is a block od hardened CA with a partially stabilized blank inside.
When I have a very soft wood, I turn it down to about the desired diameter, apply a liberal amount of thin CA and let it soak into the wood. be sure you have a DC to suck the fumes away or a fan blowing across to blow the fumes away from you. Then I turn the blank down until I hit soft wood again and repeat the process. This way you don't contaminate the CA causing it to harden prematurely.


robutacion said:
.....I don't know, how large is that bottle of yours, but I never seen CA sold in any larger bottles than 50gr and that is plenty for finishing pens and so but not enough to soak much more than 1 x blank:eek:.............. I can't even imagine how much 1 litre of CA would cost...!
George
Click to expand...
George, I have 8oz and 16 oz bottles of CA for sale on my site. A 16oz bottles sells for $25.75, domestic shipping included in the price.
 
Monty said:
Ca would not be my choice to stabilize an entire pen blank. It only takes a small amount of anything slightly acidic to start the hardening process (there was a discussion about this some weeks ago but I couldn't find the thread) and all you would end up with is a block od hardened CA with a partially stabilized blank inside.
When I have a very soft wood, I turn it down to about the desired diameter, apply a liberal amount of thin CA and let it soak into the wood. be sure you have a DC to suck the fumes away or a fan blowing across to blow the fumes away from you. Then I turn the blank down until I hit soft wood again and repeat the process. This way you don't contaminate the CA causing it to harden prematurely.



George, I have 8oz and 16 oz bottles of CA for sale on my site. A 16oz bottles sells for $25.75, domestic shipping included in the price.
Click to expand...

Monty,

Unfortunately, the freight cost would make it not so attractive, as your prices for the product itself are very good. The biggest CA container I ever saw was a 8 oz. that I now know is about 240gr. (about 234ml) , the 16 oz is under 500gr (about 470ml) :eek: thats lots of super glue...!

I still think that CA for quantity stabilization of soft woods, ain't a good idea, for all the reasons that have been expressed and a dozen others reasons that have not...!:redface:

As I understand, wood hardener is easily found in hardwares stores across US and Canada, isn't it? What sort of prices do you guys pay!

Cheers
George
 
MesquiteMan said:
You can get a 44 pound container of CA if you want! Monty could get it for you through his supplier.
Click to expand...

44 pound...???:eek: lets translate...20kg just about 20 litres...! Gees, I don't thing that I would like to handle and store in my old shed a 20 lt of super glue, god forgive if a spark got in the wrong direction...!:beat-up:

And off-course, I doubt that Customs would allow that stuff to get in, plus $312 air-mail and/or $180 sea-mail.

I was suppose to get a quote today from Timbermate in regards of prices for the Ear's Wood Hardener in 1 gallon, 20 litres and 200 litres, and I can tell you, I have been worried all day just thinking the prices I'm going to get. I will contact them tomorrow to find out why I didn't get the prices and availability, as I requested.

I got another litre from the hardware store today and I was told that they aren't getting any more of it, that was the last litre container, there are 2 250ml spray bottles left. When I approached the store manager, he tells me that he don't sell enough of it to re-order, what a bloody idiot...! and about all the bottles I got from him these last year or so...? I'm asking him to give me a price for larger quantities and he still keep telling me that he doesn't sell enough of the stuff to bother about! well, he didn't like when I call him an idiot very loudly in front of all his employees and 20 or so customers. Is not the first time that I told him he is a moron!:mad:

Anyway, money and brains are 2 very different issues and not always go together, huh!:wink:

Cheers
George
 
I do not think it would be successful. I once tried a dip method of applying CA hoping it would give a smoother surface. I dipped the knitting needle I had made in it then put the container of CA back on the shelf. Later when I tried to use the bottle the entire container had solidified. I think you will find that when you submerse the wood the CA will harden before it has penetrated much of the wood.
 
wm460 said:
G'Day George,
After you showed me the Earl's Wood Hardener, I look in Bunning's for it but they ony had the
250ml spray bottles. So hunted around and found 1Lt containers in Mitre 10 at Mt Barker.
They had a few on their shelves.
Click to expand...

How much did they charged for it?

Good to know that they have a few as the Mitre 10 in McLaren Vale hasn't got any more nor they want to get any more of them so, I have already used the 2 x 1 litre bottles they had, and I've got lots of blanks to do. I'm hoping that I can get my hands of the 1 gallon or the 20 litres one, there is if the price is considerably lower than the $69 I'm paying for a single 1 x litre. I'm guessing here but I'm not surprised if the quote I asked for the prices of these 2 container sizes come up about $350 for the 1 x gallon and about $1.000 for the 20 litres and that will make it impossible for me to buy.

I don't have that sort of money laying around living on a small pension, the $140 for the 2 x 1 litre bottles have hurt like hell, but I have to find a more economical way to harden my blanks. In the US, lots of folks are using companies that specialize on stabilizing, therefore doing commercial quantities all the time. This mean that they can give you a price for stabilizing your wood or other soft stuff, that you couldn't never match, reason why they take it for other to do.

I'm no aware of anyone doing that sort of stuff in this state or even in Australia, the thing is, I'm trying to work out what they would come under on a search or yellow pages, or what else would they use the hardening stuff for? no idea...!:confused:

I have to wait until middle January before the people I contacted, will come back with a response, we will see what comes up of this, then...! :biggrin:

Cheers
George
 
I can't find the docket but I think it was $54, for some reason that figure sticks in my mind.
The 250ml from Bunning's was $24.95. Big difference in the price.
If the docket turns up will let you know for sure.

BTW did you get an email from me a few days ago?
 
Monty said:
Shipping to Austrilia would break the bank.
Click to expand...

If you could even get it into Australia... I think Ca falls under the haz-mat rules for international shipping and Australia has some pretty stringent rules about shipping haz-mat into the country... it can be done, but the packaging costs would be very high.. not including the shipping charges.. I don't know if it is still true, but haz-mat rates were a 50% surcharge rate..i.e., the airfreight rate was 150% of the applicable freight rate.
Plus DOT regs for packing haz-mats are horrendous.

I remember we had to fumigate all our packages that were packed in wood and send a special certificate of fumigation along with the shipment... no certificate and Australia customs would fumigate it for you and about 3 times the cost... or they would just refuse to allow it to land.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom