What if you tried to stabilize woods with... metals and alloys instead of resins??

[St33L]

Is it feasible to stabilize woods by injecting molten metals and alloys into it (e.g. precious metals, titanium, etc.) in lieu of resins? Maybe this already exists!

If one were to apply maximum control to keep the wood from burning (around 451 degrees F for many types of wood) due to the far greater temperatures of molten metals by, say, using a vacuum chamber and rapid cooling techniques, would it be possible? And perhaps, molten metals don't have to be used, but rather a "semi-molten" metal that's malleable enough to be forced into the wood by super high pressures... I'd imagine it would still burn the wood, but perhaps the combination of variable controls can make it possible.

Assuming this is done, would a metal stabilized wood block perform similarly to resin-based stabilized wood scales in the field? I'd think it would at least seem different when making the scales, as you'd get the occasional sparks flying when the belt hits the injected metals.

Anyway, I think it would be pretty neat to see red gold or other alloyed specks/streaks built-in to, say, curly maple scales.

 

[Wowbagger]

Well there you are . . .
I knew there was somebody out their weirder than me.

Nah dude, nah
Forget about the hot molten thing. Steel is around 2500 F°, Ti 3000 F°
it would just vaporize the poor little wood thingy.

You could get the same LOOK that you discussed, perhaps, by using very finely powdered metal (fineness on the order of talc or flour) and mixing it with the proper, injectable epoxy.
And even if one could inject hot metal there is the whole problem of the metal shrinking as it cooled which would leave micro gaps throughout the wood creating basically a sponge for moisture.

 

[St33L]

Well there you are . . .
I knew there was somebody out their weirder than me.

Nah dude, nah
Forget about the hot molten thing. Steel is around 2500 F°, Ti 3000 F°
it would just vaporize the poor little wood thingy.

You could get the same LOOK that you discussed, perhaps, by using very finely powdered metal (fineness on the order of talc or flour) and mixing it with the proper, injectable epoxy.
And even if one could inject hot metal there is the whole problem of the metal shrinking as it cooled which would leave micro gaps throughout the wood creating basically a sponge for moisture.

I think the idea came about while thinking about stabilized woods, different alloy combos, and this:

[video=youtube;IGJ2jMZ-gaI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJ2jMZ-gaI[/video]

It looks like a Christmas tree, too lol.

Many ants were harmed in the making of that film.

 

[Yester5]

Dirt, rock and sand is a far cry from "wood". You would also have to be extremely careful handling "talc" grade metal dust. Research what fine dust can do in an enclosed environment. Like powered aluminum. Or even grain dust. Or coffee creamer. BOOM!

 

[marcinek]

Is it feasible to stabilize woods by injecting molten metals and alloys into it (e.g. precious metals, titanium, etc.) in lieu of resins?

No it isn't. Nor are blades made of bullet proof glass.

 

[Wowbagger]

Like powered aluminum. Or even grain dust. Or coffee creamer. BOOM!

We had that discussion in a woodworking chat room and the general consensus by those with "brain", after the dust had settled, was that the danger of a problem with dust was greatly exaggerated and the conditions have to be so just right and dense yet suspended that it is not a big deal.

Those having experience with frequent metal dust ignition anomalies feel free to jump in.

 

[NJBillK]

What you want to do is search around for "m3mokume" .
Though it isn't wood, I think it is the direction you are looking in.