Thread: FYI: Treating Turning Stock with Pentacryl

I want to share my experience of working with Pentacryl for the first time. I will answer any question that ANYONE has pertaining to the Pentacryl product. I have spent about 18 months researching the construction practices used in pool cue building and the many "Myths and Facts" to why it is done the way it is. For those interested in sharing drawings etc I will share my construction designs on a case by case basis.

I spent several months searching for people who have experience working with the product Pentacryl.

I was surprised to find that everyone thought the product was expensive or just did not want to take the risk of using it.

So I bought several pieces of wood that I had a project in mind for and jumped in head first.

1 - 1.5 X 1.5 X 18 Ebony - Kiln Dried
1 - 1.5 x 1.5 x 18 Birds eye maple - ?
1 - 3 x 3 x 12 Madrone Burl - Green
3 - 1.5 x 1.5 x 12 Pyinma - Green
1 - 1.5 x 1.5 x 18 Tiger Maple - ?
and several pieces of kiln dried Rock Maple .750" - 1.300" diameter x 15 - 19"

All of these were soaked in hot tap water for several hours to help remove the air as the pentacryl does not do well against air caught within the wood fibers. When all signs of air bubbles had stopped the wood was then placed in a plastic container
with 1 - Quart of Pentacryl. Not enough to cover the wood so I moved the wood to make sure and allow each piece to be covered for at leats a couple hours for each piece. Then after doing this for 2 days and 2 nights I removed the wood and hund the pieces from a eye screw in a cardboard box that was 30 in x 30 in x 40 in with all sides closed. I placed the box in an room that was heated with Central Heat and Air and kept at 50% Humidity and 70 F - extra bedroom - to dry.

After the first week - Wood wet with Pentacryl - Very wet almost dripping still

After second week - Wood almost dry on surface - Slight signs of Pentacryl

The wood color is slightly darker - looks as if the wood was freshly cut

I will put my moisture gauge to the wood tonight as this is the 15th day of drying in the box

At this point I am very happy with the Pentacryl product and the rest we will see here in the near future

Wilson