Spalted Maple blank prep

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Rick Prevett

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While scrounging through my wood pile, I came across a 3/4" board of spalted maple. Its' soft, I mean really soft, but not punky. Some really nice figures there, but how do I go about 'home stabilizing' this after I get the blanks cut to size?

Here's my thoughts so far...

Drill a bit oversize and really pour in the glue (poly, not CA, for gap filling), both in the drilled hole and on the tube.

Turn blanks round (or down to close to final shape?), then start applying coats of CA. But thick or thin or med? Do I apply a layer of CA, then turn it off, and repeat until my desired form is accomplished? or dump a bottle of thin CA on it and let the whole blank set up before I shape it?

What about a final finish? More CA?

Any ideas? Anybody been there, done that? Am I close to having a plan?

thanks in advance,

rick
 
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jeff

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I think I read this on Yahoo the other day; Drill the blank halves, then soak in polyurethane for a few days. Remove and let dry for a couple more days. Re-drill the hole to clean out the excess poly, then let dry for a few more days. I think I might thin the poly a bit, but the post did not say that.
 

Mesquitor

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Howdy!

I'm the guy who posted that and have had very good luck with it. I didn't thing the polyurethane because I didn't think I needed to since the blanks were going to soak for several days.

I would try it with blank first to see it it will work for you.

Good luck!

Mesquitor
 

Rick Prevett

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Thanks Jeff and Mesq.... I do recall that post, but at the time I thought to myself, self [:)], what do they mean by polyurathane? I've got poly based finish, but can I go to the local borg and just pick up a quart of pure polyurathane? What aisle would <u>that</u> be in?

rick
 

jeff

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Rich, I thought Jerry meant good old Minwax-type stuff like THIS. I'd probably use gloss, hoping it would polish up nicely. I think I'm going to visit my woodlot and find some punky wood and give this a try!
 

pen-turners

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I am gonna try something a little different also. Future floor wax is used as a clear gloss finish for polymer clay pens so I think I will soak a piece of spalted buckeye burl in it and see how it turns. It is supposedly a clear poly finish and is alot thinner than other finishes and will probably soak in better. I know it turns my sponges hard as rock. Will let you know the results when I am finished.

Chris
 

Daniel

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Chris,
Definitly let me know how your trials with buckeye go. i have a mountain of it and want to experiment with several methods. I will try soakingsoem in poly as well.
 

Doug Jones

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Here is a spalted pen I did. Not sure if its maple or hackberry or what ever. Just thought you all would like to see it. The other two are maple burl and corncob.

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Julie

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Hey guys,
Let us know how your expermentiation works out. I have a piece that will need some type of support and the CA option always scares me a little. I really don't want to glue it to the mandrel...
 

Rick Prevett

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Well my experiment is complete, and the pictures are in my Photo Album. It took some time for the soaking and drying, but I thinks I'll try it again soon. For a finish, I used one version of Scotts CA finishs, using a paper towel and BLO. Julie, I've used this method before and never have had a bushing glued to the mandrel that I couldn't easily break off.

After the CA finish, I applied Shellawax liquid, then put the pens through the Beall buffing system.

Hope you like them.

rick
 

jeff

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Rick,

How did they feel while you were turning? More solid than an unsoaked blank, I bet. They look really nice, especially with the black fittings. Get that article ready! [:)]
 

Scott

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Hi Rick,

They look great! The black hardware really sets off the spalting! Did you drill those blanks before soaking in the poly? YOu may have to let them sit longer after the soaking to let them cure completely.

So how did you like the CA process? I would really like some feedback on it, to see how it works for everybody else.

Scott.
 

Rick Prevett

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Well, it's been a couple more days since the spalted pens were completed. The poly odor is almost gone. However, I have noticed that a crack has appeared on one of the top barrels. Not sure what caused that.

Jeff, they needed turning with a really light touch. Still kind of punky feeling. Next time, I'm going to turn them down where they are 1/8 - 3/16 from finished size and douse them with thin CA for more stabilizing. That should stiffen them up.

Scott, the blanks were drilled before soaking in poly. Actually they floated in my jar of poly until I dropped a 1/4" bolt through the barrel holes. That sent them to the bottom! To dry after soaking, I had to string them up in a clothsline kind of affair, threading a wire through the holes.

I really like the BLO/CA process you outlined. I do it at slow speed (500 rpm on my Jet mini), and I have come to use it on all the pens I do. However, our club just had a demo (not pens) by Don Moreno, from TurnAboutWoods, in KC. We got to talking and he said he's got the 'Ultimate' CA finishing process! To be released soon to the public. Another method to try, eh?

Thanks for lookin.

rick
/who's now seeing that the pics at work look darker than at home.
 

Scott

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Thanks Rick!

I appreciate the feedback. I can hardly wait to find out about the ultimate CA process! ;-)

Scott.
 

Daniel

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Originally posted by Julie
<br />Hey guys,
Let us know how your expermentiation works out. I have a piece that will need some type of support and the CA option always scares me a little. I really don't want to glue it to the mandrel...

Julie,
Put a coat of wax on your bushings and manderels. I did and havn't had any sticking to the mandrel since. the bushings stick but I don't worry about getting glue on them so they really get doused. and I can break them right off. and usually they seperate with just a slight tug.
I glued my bushings to the mandrel when I first started. i was able to drive it off with a block of wood with a 1/4 inch hole drilled in it.
but not the best way to treat your mandrel.
 
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