Attention to those who love all things stabilized!

[sachbvn]

Straight from Ryan from Woodturningz's facebook page.

A guy asked for tips on how to turn some maple burl that keeps exploding on him.... I suggested he try CA glue, turn a little, CA glue, turn a little - etc.....

Ryan came back and posted this - which I am VERY excited about..... not sure what the limitations are, but since they do it in house - they could probably give you a real good idea over the phone.


"We are also starting to offer stabilization service for $10/lb with no minimum. It's based upon the final weight of the blanks after the process is done. Give us a call for more information - Thanks! ...Ryan"



Zac

[Doug B]

I'm going to have to call them tomorrow. I have been wanting to find a better way to do Pine cones than the CA treatment. This sounds like just the ticket.

This is exciting. Thanks for that info Zac!

[sachbvn]

Doug - keep me informed with what you find out!

Zac

[maverick31]

If you end up doing this, I think the cones would look cool stabilized with red or blue acrylic too. might give the pens/stoppers a different look kinda like these


www.beartoothwoods.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=22_82

[Doug B]

I just talked to Fritz at Woodturningz about the stabilization and it sounds like pretty much the way it was described to Zac. $10.00 a pound (finished product) for up to 10 pounds and $9.00 per pound if you have more than 10 pounds processed. I asked, but there is no way to know how much something is going to weigh after it has been stabilized.

I will be sending a few things to try out, including Pine Cones. It may be a while before they get them back to me because they heat them in an oven to make sure they are completely dry before stabilizing - I will try to get them to skip that part because the cones are already very dry and who knows what the resin in the cones is going to do if it is heated up.

Mav, I forgot to ask about adding color to the process, but this first set I'm sending is just to determine how well the stabilization is going to work.

I'll let everyone know how they turn out (pun intended) ;D

[sachbvn]

I'm guessing..... you could probably do at least 2 /pound - but who knows.... seriously - really excited that I know someone who will be able to at least try out this service on something other than a standard wood blank. When I read the post - I instantly thought of you for your pine cones.

Anxiously waiting the results. Hey - mind snapping a picture when you get them back - kind of like a "whats in the box" sorta thing. Then maybe a couple along the way to finishing them.


Thanks!
Zac

[sdb777]

That would mean that practically any pine cone would work, at least on the pens...
The cones that Doug can harvest stay shut...at least the ones he sent are still closed(just haven't 'grown a set' and turned them yet!
The cones I find are always open, unless they are completely green(meaning no good). When they dry, they open(meaning no good).

But with this process, I could load up a few 30gal Hefty bags and send them off and get back prepped cones? Would you still need to apply CA as they were turned??




Scott (don't make me go collecting....I'm hurtin') B

[sachbvn]

Scott, I'd imagine that you may still need to use CA glue - but probably not AS they are being turned....more like after sanding - build it up to fill any voids that may have appeared.

and I quote "haven't grown a set" - Scott....you are just opening yourself up to abuse!! j/k man.

A few 30gal hefty bags full of pine cones....at 10 bucks a pound (after the plastic is added)..... that'd be quite pricey!!


Zac

[sdb777]

Zac,

I've been known to bring a few things 'on myself' over the years! Don't know why....it just happens?!?!?


Would the cones be weighed dried or after the process was done?
The cones off the 'Longleaf Pines' we have here can get to 9" in lenght(conditions need to be perfect for that), but they are normally right at 5-6" in lenght and 3-4"(max) in diameter. But they only weigh about 2-3oz each.
So in the worst case, 6 make a pound. Could probably get about 120 in a plastic bag(30gal) without crushing them. 20lbs at $10/lb........make for one heck of a group buy!




Scott (group buy......hmmmm) B

[Doug B]

Hey guys, I'll keep you all fully informed (with pics too) on how it goes. I got a package together today to send and will get it in the mail tomorrow. It includes 3 bottle stopper Pine cone blanks and 3 pen barrel blanks along with an odd assortment of pen blanks for wood that I've had issues with before, including some Maple burl, spalted Sycamore, Sagebrush, Red Palm, Pine bark, Grapevine, Cedar crosscut, and Mulberry crosscut. This should be interesting ;D

All total, it weighed in at just under a pound but they charge per pound after it is stabilized so who knows what it will end up being, but I'm expecting it to be at least 2 pounds. I intend to weigh the stabilized cones as soon as I get them back to see how many it takes to make a pound.

Because you pay for the weight of the stabilized blanks, I don't not want to send anything bigger than necessary. I "skinned" all the Pine cones on the band saw so that the stabilization will penetrate deeper and to keep the weight down. I am afraid that may make them open up - they usually do if I don't get the CA on them right away after cutting on the band saw. I sure hope this works.

Scott, the process only stabilizes the wood (or cones as the case may be) and does not provide any gap filling like resin casting would. Fritz said it is the same process they use to stabilize their Hackberry pen blanks and uses the same stuff they make their Inlace Acrylester blanks out of but in a different consistency. But I'm afraid it would not work on opened up Pine cones.

There is still a lot that is unknown about whether this is going to work or not, but I am optimistic. I'm hoping we can get enough stabilized cones so that every one who wants to can try them out without the mess of having to do multiple CA applications.