First time stabilizing wood... help!

G

grawulf

Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
56
Well I've searched around the forums after finding them a few weeks ago, and I've found a lot of great information (thank you all!), but I've reached a point where I could use some advice. I'm getting ready to try stabilizing my own handle materials, primarily wood, and I'm not really sure how to go at it. I've noticed that there are a lot of references to Minwax as a stabilizer... is this really the way to go? Is it as effective as a resin or epoxy?

As far as the chamber I'm leaning toward the autoparts hand-pump idea (I'll see what I can find at Wal-Mart or Kragen's), not sure about what to plug it into, but I know I'll have a vacuum/pressure gauge built into it. I seem to remember reading somewhere that a small fish tank could be used for the chamber. Anybody familiar with this?

I know there's a lot of do-it-yourself types on this forum, so if you have any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Jeramy
 
For vacuum chambers I use the Mason jars one and two quarts. I use the Foodsavers attachment to create the vacuum. I have the hose attached with a quick connect to my vacuum pump. This way I disconnect the quick connect and the lid gets suck right on top of the jar. My pump pull 27" of vacuum. I use B72 and acetone. I also have a spray painting pot for a pressure pot which I very seldom use. Good Luck :D
 
Mr IG,

I found a supplier in Turkey that has B72, they sell restoration stuff. I am starting to construct a Vacuum chamber too. I want to ask, how much does the slabs have to wait in vacuum, and at wich ratio do you mix b72 and acetone.

Best wishes,
Emre KIPMEN

ps: My shop and town tour is ready. Preparing to post. Stand by :D ..
 
galadduin said:
Mr IG,

I found a supplier in Turkey that has B72, they sell restoration stuff. I am starting to construct a Vacuum chamber too. I want to ask, how much does the slabs have to wait in vacuum, and at wich ratio do you mix b72 and acetone.

Best wishes,
Emre KIPMEN

ps: My shop and town tour is ready. Preparing to post. Stand by :D ..
Click to expand...
MR. Emre :D
The B72 is it the liquid that you are getting??? I like to leave it thick, the mix is around 40% acetone and 60% B72. I leave it in the jars till the wood is not floating. This could take weeks on some woods. I just put it in and forget about it.
PS: Where's the tour :D
 
Master George, :D

I didnt talk the supplier yet (I have to wait till monday). Thanks for the input.

Psss: I have to go to the neighbour and download the pics I've taken this morning to floppy disk, then I have to host them in tinypic.com, then start a thread... Thats it. It may take a while, also the neighbour went to town and will come back in a couple hours or so :barf: . Patience is the key when you dont have your own camera and you borrowed one leaving the camera-dock at the owner's (stupid am I ?). Patience my friend... :D
 
minwax wood hardner is better than nothing but definitely not the best. I use Weck canning jars for vaccuum chambers and a piece of 8" pipe with a flange for pressure. Take the lid off the jar and put it in the pipe and pressure to your hearts content. My first pump was made out of an older ford ac compressor, you can set it up for pressure and vaccuum. I still use it for pressure but came up with a refrigerant repair vacuum. There are some pictures on my site www.angelfire.com/home/customknives under the shop tour link. Loctite makes a resinol 90c thats supposed to be great but you have to buy 4 gallons at a time and its not cheap. I've never heard of B72, anyone have any specifics on it? Feel free to e-mail me at lrricegilanet@hotmail.com if I can help you with specific questions as I'm not as frequent in the forums as I used to be and might miss your post.
 
Thanks for the help! I'm going to have to do some research on this B72 stuff. I haven't found any references to it, but I've also been wondering about different types of fiberglass resin. That stuff is pretty tuff, but I don't know if you could impregnate wood with it, or if it could be thinned a little? THanks again.
 
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