Has anyone tried Woodcraft's Hold Fast Stabilization System?

Tom Lewis

Tom Lewis

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Feb 24, 2000
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On pg. 77 of the Dec. 2013 Woodcraft catalog is a advertisement for a stabilization system. They also sell the resin/catalyst.
Does anyone have experience with this system?
 
I looked at that unit and watched the video. It will work, but it is very slow and very 'hobbyist'. I would recommend that you check out the units sold by Chris @ Cactus Juice. He makes a good product. ...Teddy
 
Goldsmithy said:
I looked at that unit and watched the video. It will work, but it is very slow and very 'hobbyist'. I would recommend that you check out the units sold by Chris @ Cactus Juice. He makes a good product. ...Teddy
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I believe the man's name is Curtiss. ;)
 
I have looked at the Woodcraft stuff and wasn't impressed, I have also talked to Curtis on the phone for about and hour and a half talking over some info and ideas on how to get the stabilization to work on the woods that I want.

I have lab grade equipment, ( that I have actually used in my lab at work ) and have made a chamber and used a very expensive vacuum pump.

It is way more cost efficient for me to just send wood in to get stabilized. Where the Cactus juice is awesome and is very similar to what a lot of the industry guys use, you don't get to same results because you aren't using enough pressure with the vacuum to get absolutely all of the cactus juice into everything ( in the woods that I wanted to use anyways ). That sounds funny but the pros are using a vacuum and pressure as well as heat.

But if you absolutely needed to go and do it at home talk to Curtis and get set up.
 
+1 for curtis. We must have talked for close to 2 hours and it was after midnight (both of us are in Texas) but that's when it was convenient for both. I am waiting on my 2 juiceproof chamber setup to be complete and will take a trip down to pick it up.
 
I have been using the cactus juice system for a while and have been thinking of getting a pressure pot used for spray painting to use as a chamber. You could rig it up with a couple of valves where you would first apply vacuum then pressure. You would not have to use 2 gal. Of juice. Put the wood and juice in a smaller container and set it inside of the pot.

Jim
 
Back when I used to do my own stabilizing I used a big paint pot.
I was able to get decent results.
But.......in the end I spent less money and a whole lot less time sending my wood to K&G.
and....much better quality stabilizing.
It was a no brainer with me.

If you have lots of extra time and you are looking to do everything yourself,
I still say go with one of the professional stabilizers.
 
Ive also tried using a pressure pot, doing vacuum/pressure cycles, still do from time to time if I come across something I need stabilized. I use the cactus juice as well; very nice results but Im sorry to say no where near as nice as the stuff from K&G
 
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