heavily spalted maple

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Dilland

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Apr 13, 2008
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10
Location
greer, SC, USA.
sorry in advanced if this is in th wrong section. but i have some spalted maple that is very very very soft. how can i make it... a little harder?
 
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Your in stabilization. That should be what you're trying to do.
I've been dabbling with this stuff also. Tried the Minwax wood hardener, but just a soaking (2 days) won't do anything for interior of the wood, just won't soak in. I've tried with pretty good success, a polyurethane. Just a semigloss finish that was sitting around asking to be used. The one thing I've determined, is that neither helps if wood is split. Get out the CA to take care of cracks. I think either of these works better under pressure or vacuum, but I haven't set up a Harbor freight spray tank.
John
 
One option is commercial stabilization. Costly but works the best.

Another is soaking in Minwax wood hardener (or plexi-acetone mix). After treatment, it won't be super hard but hard enough to drill without crumbling. You might still get lots of tear out so I usually drill using smaller bit, treat the hole surface with thin CA then re-drill with proper bit size.

Take care while turning, it might chip if you cut too aggressively or using dull tools. Learn to use the skew. Treat with thin CA as you get near the final dimension (you might have to do this several times)

A lot of hassle but with the proper wood, it is worth it, some are not. ;)

Good luck!!!
 
I have tried all of these; CA, Minwax Wood hardener, Plexi-tone, Poly-Tone, Perma-bond 90, commercial stabilization (WSSI) Resinol and Alumilite. All using pressure not vacuum. All (except Resinol) have worked to a degree. CA works but you have to turn then apply then turn then apply until you reach proper shape and size. Minwax Wood hardener, Plexi-tone, Poly-Tone and Perma-bond 90 harden the fibers but do not add significant mass to the blank so you may end up with some voids, and a tendency to crumble. Professional stabilization works well adds significant mass to the blank but will not fill all the voids or cracks and if the blanks are very delicate they may not "survive" the process. It's also expensive if only doing a few blanks and the process tends to distort some blanks since I believe they use heat to cure the resin. Resinol may work for pool cues but for pen blanks It has not worked for me. The best method for ME is using white alumilite under pressure. It penetrates well on punky blanks (I cut blanks to about 13/16 x 5 1/2") it does an excellent job filling cracks and voids and does not distort the shape of the blanks. Alumilite is a bit pricy and you HAVE to use pressure but for me it is the best method of the ones I have tried. Hope this helps, Eugene.
 
Originally posted by loglugger

Vacuum with minwax quick drying poly mixed with 40% actone has been the easy and best way for me.
Bob
Click to expand...
That is my preferred method, also, except I use about 80% poly.
 
Originally posted by loglugger

Vacuum with minwax quick drying poly mixed with 40% actone has been the easy and best way for me.
Bob
Click to expand...


I am shocked that you got any result at all. I have never seen a polyurethane that can be mixed with acetone--- the moment the poly hits the acetone it begins to settle out of solution and make a gummy, cruddy mess. I have accidentally thinned poly with acetone before and it's not pretty. Are you sure you were using acetone and not mineral spirits?
 
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