Homemade stabilizers how are they working?

That sounds promising Indian George. Do you have any idea how well the polyurethane penetrates after the hardener? How is the finished product to work? Does it have that 'no finish required' look that you get from the professional stuff? How about filling small voids?

I guess what we really need is acrylic monomer and polymerization catalysts in small enough quantities to make them viable for the small operator. Those 50 gallon drums make experimentation pretty expensive.

Rob!



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Rob Ridley
Ranger Original Handcrafted Knives
 
Thanks Rob & Indian George, You have some very good ideas. I like the PVC idea but aren't you curious as to how it's going?
Have you sawn any the material in half yet to check penetration? Does it burn when sanded on a belt? Just things I would like to know before I dive in. Thanks for all the reply's
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RHankins Available knives
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=205453
 
No, I'm not curious how it's going. Watching bubbles doesn't tell you anything. Yes, the varathane professional (or the wood) burns if you get it too hot. Go slow and light and it's no problem. Yes, I ripped a 2x2 block of maple right down the middle. The amber colour went all the way through so I presume the penetration was complete. Ah yes - the amber.... not quite true colour but not really undesireable either - kind of warmer tones.

Rob!



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Rob Ridley
Ranger Original Handcrafted Knives
 
I took maple slabs out of the pressure pot today after five days, the surface looked dry, then I put on the belt sander once you broke the surface skin the liquid start to leach out. Next try 7 days in the pot & some heat I need to install a pressure release valve before I try the heat.

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INDIAN GEORGE
http://www.onlineknifeshow.com/maker36.html
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=261337
 
George, it seems to me that the air in the pot can only hold so much evaporated - whatever - before it saurates and nothing else happens. I'm thinking like wrapping a half onion in saran wrap so it doesn't dry out. Maybe you need to vent the pot once a day and then re-apply the pressure. Does that make any sense?

Rob!



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Rob Ridley
Ranger Original Handcrafted Knives
 
Rob:
I'll try that, makes sense,keep you posted.

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INDIAN GEORGE
http://www.onlineknifeshow.com/maker36.html
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=261337
 
Pressure cookers I have a few of them coming in from EBay. One of them is a 8 quart, plan on making a vacuum chambers & pressuer pot from them.

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INDIAN GEORGE
http://www.onlineknifeshow.com/maker36.html
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=261337
 
I've been off this site for a bit, and just caught this thread...I'd like to chime in a bit if I may.
The PVC idea is good in theory, but when dealing with solvents, it won't be long before you have vessel failure...hopefully not catastrophic (BT...DT!)

If you are using glass canning jars, the same can be said when pressurizing!!!!

The set-up I made was out of 10" X 18", 8 ga well casing, welded to a 3/16" baseplate. Welded a 10" street flange w/ 12 bolt holes to the top. Cut another piece of 3/16" into a lid & drilled holes for the bolts. Use innertube for a gasket. Old fridge compressor pulls 28.8 HG of vac.

Drilled & tapped a hole in the bottom for a petcock to introduce and drain the fluid, and did the same in the lid for pulling and pushing air. Also installed both guages in the lid.

Process is fill chamber with wood, fasten down lid, & pull vac on the material for a few days....removes all remaining moisture.
Hook a hose to the bottom petcock & stick the other end in your stabilant, crack open the petcock and flood the chamber. When full of fluid, close bottom petcock and charge with air from the top. Let stand a few days to a week or more (depends on wood, stabilant, temp, and whether the moon is full ;-).

Open the bottom petcock & drain off the remaining fluid, then hit with pressure again for a couple days. Release pressure, remove wood, & let dry.

As for stabilant, I'm playing with 2 factory products that seem to be doing an outstanding job, but I want to be 100% certain of their performance before I open my yap about them......stay tuned!
Harry

PS: Whenever using any solvent that's highly flammable. DON'T pull a vac with this stuff in the chamber...one spark from the compressor & thar she blows!!!
 
I just heard of a product called "Traffic"
It is a professional grade floor finish in a water base. This is the commercial stuff they use in Malls and other high traffic areas over wood floors.

Has anybody tried this?

I have a friend who installs wood floors for a living and he says this is the toughest finish on the market. He also says it costs $75 per gal. and is sold only in gals. With a water base it would be explosion proof for Vacuum/pressure cycles. One gal diluted would do a BUNCH of knife handles
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RHankins Available knives
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=205453
 
WATER BAAAAAAD!
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SOLVENTS GOOOOOOD!!!
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You are trying to remove water before introducing the stabilant(by vacuum pressure), so any product containing water is detrimental to your goal.

Also, once the outside surface sets up, how will the water in the center evaporate off?

The stuff I'm using has the viscosity of water, but is a "heat kicked" epoxy....once you remove the material from the pot, put in a warm (I use toaster/convection...electric...OUTSIDE!!!!)200F oven for 30-45 minutes.

Just a few more tests and I'll spill my guts...PROMISE!
Harry


 
I got in a 12 quart pressure cooker.
All 3 holes on the top are 1/8 pipe, I put a vacuum gauge in 1,a shut-off and quick connect in the other, left the old pressure gauge in the third. So far holding at 26" vacuum for the last hour.

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INDIAN GEORGE
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=261337
http://www.onlineknifeshow.com/maker36.html
 
A little feedback for you Bob. I used some stabilized Magnolia on my last knife and made an interesting discovery. The wood is still open grained enough to accept stains or dyes. The Magnolia is a very light colored wood. Kind of like Ash in appearance. I used some medium brown leather dye on the handle after hand sanding and buffing on the satin wheel. I don't know how deep it penetrated, but it took the dye real well. I don't know it that's a good thing or not. But, it worked out good for me. I guess I'll have to do some experimenting to see is the stabilized wood will absorb water or not. Will post again when I know.

Here's a pic in case you're curious. The natural color of the Magnolia can be seen in my post earlier in this thread.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1189412&a=8767365&p=32695645



[This message has been edited by MaxTheKnife (edited 11-09-2000).]
 
Handle! I like the whole knife! Guess I'll have to find some Magnolia
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Sola Fide
 
The antler that I did in the Dakota stabilizer with the minwax wood hardner and thompsons water seal still have a sticky feel to them after 4 weeks of drying.

I put two pieces of black walnut in the mixture and let them soak, (no vaccum) and they came out about the same as the pieces under vaccum. Of course walnut is a more open grain wood.
Just my observations Mike

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Sola Fide
 
I think I screwed up!!. I just removed my first test samples(2 walnut and 2 antler pieces) from my jar after 4 days. I filled jar with stabilant(polyurethane, thinner, and oil based stain) put in pieces sealed and pulled 26" for 4 days. Now I am figuring out that you are supposed to vacuum pieces first then introduce stabilant. I cannot believe I have been misundestanding this process for the last 4 days. My grandparents are giving me an old pressure cooker with intact seal. So let me see if I have this right. Insert pieces and pull vacuum for a few days, then let vacuum suck stabilant into chamber through some kind of inlet valve and pull another vacuum(will lose some vacuum during the introduction process) and let sit for a few days, then do I drain stabilant or leave in there and add air pressure for a few days? I must say some of you guys have a set of cahonas for adding pressure to glass jars. I never would! Vaquero
 
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