For several years I have been using MEK (dangerous vapor so adequate ventilation is a must. DO NOT use this inside a residence as the odor is very strong and the fumes will attack any plastic nearby and most furniture finishes) and disolving plain white styrofoam peanut packaging. I dissolve as much as the MEK will take and the solution becomes a syrup like solution and sticky as everything so be careful if you spill any.
I pre-turn and pre-drill with a smaller diameter bit all the blanks to a size of blank that will allow some slight adjusting after using a vacuum to pull the solution throughout the wood. I have found that a vacuum of 5 to 10 psi is sufficient as long as the container can be sealed and the solution allowed to stand for several days. Any more vacuum and the MEK actually 'boils' off to rapidly to do much good as a carrier into the wood.
I use glass quart Mason canning jars with metal lids (Wal-Mart). I drill a tiny hole (1/32") in the metal lid and lay a piece of duct tape over the hole. The wood is put inside the jar, the MEK is added to cover the wood - add lead tire weights on top of the wood to hold it down.
Place the jar(s) into a vessel such as the one from Harbor Freight (great device and cheap). The vacuum pump actually pulls the air out and when it is turned off and the vacuum released quickly, the tape is pulled down thus sealing the hole and maintaining the vacuum inside the canning jar. The MEK will ruin the tape if it gets sucked up to much and the seal may not hold long enough. Turn the pump on for 3-5 seconds, off for 3-5 seconds, and repeat several times (15-30 times). This starts the MEK into your wood and allows some of the air in the wood to be pulled off thus some foaming is avoided. Eventually it all stops. The MEK can be diluted to make a thinner mix if necessary.
The finished blanks are extremely oil and waterproof and take any polish you want to use - especially a friction polish. After several days of soaking remove the blanks and stand them upright till dry. This is very quick as the MEK is quite volitile and evaporates almost immediately if the room is warm.
If you use this solution for oily woods the MEK will change color so always use dark wood in one batch and lighter woods in a 'clean' solution. Some dyes are available that will work in MEK but I have not tried any as yet.
I might add that this solution will fill small cracks but does not do much for larger voids. One advantange of using this MEK soak is that fine dust is largely eliminated when turning down the blanks to their final dimensions. I have also noticed that friction polishing becomes quickly finished. Just be very careful of letting your skin come into contact with any of the MEK as it is rapidly absorbed into the body and this can become a potent health hazzard as are the fumes when inhaled.
After several uses safely dispose of the used MEK and start with a fresh solution. I pour the old used MEK onto sawdust and burn it in the fireplace - a cheap fire starter!
JUST REMEMBER TO BE CAREFUL of the vapor. BTE, avoid ALL OPEN FLAMES as this stuff is also explosive. Common sense is very much a factor here folks and YOU MUST be careful.
