Thread: Spalted Wazzatree

Nice
David

Don't know what the timber is, but it sure has some great looking figure.
Makes a great looking Writing Instrument.
Well done.

Les

Thanks Guys.

Well the rain has gone for a couple of days now, so I loaded a chainsaw on the back of the buggy and drove into where the branches came down.
I cut off a few more bits, and sliced them up on the bandsaw once back at the shed.

The spalting is even more spectacular now. Here are a few pics of the spoils .

Attachment 157829Attachment 157830Attachment 157831
Attachment 157832

Just have to wait for them to dry now.

I need to find out what this tree is, so I can give the blanks a proper name.

If you can post a picture of the tree that the branch broke off (with a close up of the leaves and bark), that should help someone to id it.
BTW, very nice spalting. As a test you could try soaking a couple in sanding sealer/ wood hardener etc to help stabilize them and reduce the chances of them cracking

Originally Posted by rowie

As a test you could try soaking a couple in sanding sealer/ wood hardener etc to help stabilize them and reduce the chances of them cracking

I've been thinking about trying to stabilize them.
There's a bit of info floating about that I've read up on. I dont have a pressure pot at present, so the methods that do it at atmospheric pressure are what I'll be trying.

I guess the best way would be to drill the blank out first, so as to get the best penetration possible.
Do you have experience doing this ?

I have read that the wood hardener's that you buy, are not much more than acrylic and acetone, which can be made cheaply be dissolving perspex in acetone.

Another option I have read about is PR resin dilluted with acetone, after soaking for a few days, take the blanks out and wipe the excess off, then spray a bit of MEK on the outside to set the resin off.

I suppose its trial and error really, to see what works best.

I have tried the wood hardener from Mitre ten ,not cheap though ,its a milky stuff meant to soak into dry rot etc to enable filling ,without replacing the whole thing. It works to a degree , for one offs and single blanks Thin ca is excellant soaked into the blanks ,You can drill first and get some thin CA into the drilled hole to line it ,when set can be redrilled to size again with no trouble . I recently did a bit of Buckeye burl this way , still you need cheap CA to make this Viable .Without pressure and vacuum it is just a little more work but do~able . Neil (dai sensei) has tried various methods with good success ,but most need vacuum or pressure ,or both . You will find what works for you I am sure !! Cheers ~ John

Thanks John. That first pen I did worked fine with the CA, but as you say, be good to get some cheap CA, as it soaks in pretty well.

I'm in no great hurry.
Troy has offered to try a couple in his pressure pot, so I'll catch up with him soon .

I see in the US they have professional stabilising services, that would be handy ( if the price wasnt too bad )

I have had some success with a 2 pack epoxy resin product from FGI

Epox Epoxy Wood Preserver

It is mixed 1:1

I use it in my pressure pot normally, but have used it also without pressure.

No worries, thanks for that Fred.

How long did you leave it soak when not using pressure ?

How much pressure do you use in your pot ?

Originally Posted by Ironwood

No worries, thanks for that Fred.

How long did you leave it soak when not using pressure ?

How much pressure do you use in your pot ?

Usually overnight, with or without pressure.

I use 70-80 psi in the pressure pot.

It is also a good "adhesion promoter" when doing worthless wood casting, I soak the WW blanks in this epoxy material, let it soak for a while, drain it off, let it cure o/night, then in the silicone mould with polyester resin.

Originally Posted by Big Shed

Usually overnight, with or without pressure.

I use 70-80 psi in the pressure pot.

It is also a good "adhesion promoter" when doing worthless wood casting, I soak the WW blanks in this epoxy material, let it soak for a while, drain it off, let it cure o/night, then in the silicone mould with polyester resin.

That is a very high pressure, what is you pot rated to?

PR doesn't normally stick to epoxy, and the epoxy stabilizer can take weeks to set properly at depth, so I am suprised you have been having success . But if it works, what the hell, I'll try it. Bonding of PR to worthless wood is always a problem due to the shrinkage, but pressure certainly helps.

Originally Posted by Ironwood

Do you have experience doing this ?

I guess the best way would be to drill the blank out first, so as to get the best penetration possible.

I have read that the wood hardener's that you buy, are not much more than acrylic and acetone, which can be made cheaply be dissolving perspex in acetone.

Nil experience in stabilizing, but definitely a fan of the idea.
I was more worried about your blanks cracking and distorting as they dry out, especially the crosscuts.
If you were to drill out the blanks first, I would suggest to only drill a pilot hole, to allow for redrilling once dry.
Any hole drilled in wet wood will end up an oval shape once the wood dries out.

A guy I used to know dissolved polystyrene in cellulose lacquer thinners as homemade endgrain sealer.

Originally Posted by Ironwood

Thanks John. That first pen I did worked fine with the CA, but as you say, be good to get some cheap CA, as it soaks in pretty well.

I'm in no great hurry.
Troy has offered to try a couple in his pressure pot, so I'll catch up with him soon .

I see in the US they have professional stabilising services, that would be handy ( if the price wasnt too bad )

well ok ive had a go at stabilising a couple pieces using perspex dissolved in acetone seemed to work ok have made a new thread showing the 2 pens i made
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f69/co...onwood-129621/
am going to see ironwood prob next week to show him them in the flesh and see if he wants me to try stabilise some for him

They look good Troy. Cant wait to have a good look at them.

I've got a bit of a lead on the tree. Sounds like it could be Northern Tamarind.

Diploglottis diphyllostegia - Northern Tamarind | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I'm not 100 persent sure yet, but will look more into it. Will be good to put a name to it.