Stabilizing some Spalted Maple

[mastevt]

Picked up some nice spalted Maple at my buddies saw mill last week.  Got it cut up and gonna stabilize a few along with some Honey Locust from my farm. 
Video of the initial pull on start up.

https://youtube.com/shorts/xi5BAlbya_Y?feature=share



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[turkey stew]

That is some really sharp spalted maple.

[fishr64]

Very cool and very nice looking pieces of wood!! I wondered how the stabilizing worked, thanks for sharing.

[mastevt]

Very cool and very nice looking pieces of wood!! I wondered how the stabilizing worked, thanks for sharing.

It's a very long process that starts with drying it to absoute 0 moisture.  Any moisture in the wood can push out the resin during the curing process because water boils at 212, and resin cures at 225.  So getting it to 0 is important and done by weighing the blank at 6 hour intervals during baking.  Documenting it, and re weighing.   Re baking.  Till no more weight is lost.  Then the vacuum cycle.  Which is done till no more air bubbles are being pulled from the wood.  This can take 3 to 4 days under vacuum.  Then the soak cycle.  Which is a static soak, no vacuum, for usually a week.  Sometimes longer.  This allows the wood fibers to take in the resin.  Then the curing cycle.  Bake in the oven at 225 for several hours.  After which, you now have a piece of wood ready to work with.  Lots of time and effort, but when done right, makes a nice piece that is hard, machines nicely, Sands beautifully, and produces a nice finish.

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[fishr64]

There is a lot more to stabilizing wood than I assumed. Thank you for sharing!!

[worth612000]

I didn't know there was so much involved. Thanks for sharing


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[Sir-diealot]

Looks good bud.

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[Crowstalker]

That was great to see the process. Yup thanks for sharing

[mastevt]

Thanks all.  It's still under vacuum right now.  Still pulling small, what they call Champaign bubbles.  Hoping another day and it'll be done.

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