Hardening of punky wood?

I use CA glue for this purpose - it works well, and cost is reasonable when you buy it by the pint or quart

Some wood is beyond turning. Sounds like yours may be. If you'd like to hedge, take some and dry it to see how well it consolidates when not waterlogged. If it's still crumbling, you'd best think of mulch or embedding it in acrylic for keychains.

You have to have something to start with.

JR,

I've had good luck with a water thin epoxy from

There is a similar product called Polyall 2000, but as I recall, I it was only available in Canada. Maybe that's changed now, but you the Rot Doctor product is the same I believe and it's available.

Art

JRJohns>Guys, I just got a couple of large box elder trees that blew down in the

Any idea how hard this stuff makes the wood and whether it will penetrate into tight tight grained wood? I'd be trying it to harden the top of my banjo bridges

inparticular I'd like to do this for the teak ones I make. As is, thestrings excert an enormous pressure (5,000~8,000 psi) on it and withthe continous tuning the strings keep sawing into the wood. Even ashard as teak is, this sawing action eventually slices thru teak andthe only way to stop it is by capping the teak with ebony. By the way,beech seems to handle these stresses a lot better.Maybe off topic but then again, I make them bridges out of wood piecesleft over from turning :)Bart.- Check my most up to date email address at: awesome banjo bridges, tabs, stained glass:

**may your moments of need be met by moments of compassion**

How hard is urethane resin? About as hard as what it's adhered to, I would say. It's the weakest link business, all over again. If I put a piece to foil over a piece of wood, the dent resistance is still pretty much that of the wood.

to indicate that sweet birch might be even better than Beech for yourapplication. The Locusts would be an excellent choice. Believe OsageOrange - "Bois D'Arc" or "Bodark" would be even better. More attractive,certainly.

"Derek Andrews" wrote: (clip) There are two part epoxy wood restorers available, I think the company is Smith & Co ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Yes. The product is called "Clear Penetrting Epoxy Sealer," and I have seen it used successfully on some pretty punky wood. It think the only problem you would have is that if the wood is REALLY porous, the filler + wood won't look like wood. I'd give it a try, though, since the wood is so attractive. (Smith and Company has a website.)

Thanks for the tips. There's special considerations here though, the various woods have a huge effect on the [banjo's] tone, sound clarity, volume etc. Bart.

- Check my most up to date email address at:

awesome banjo bridges, tabs, stained glass:

**may your moments of need be met by moments of compassion**

this is another potential application for CA glue - might be worth a test - the glue is quite hard and brittle, so putting a layer across the top of the bridge might well harden up the wood without degrading the sound qualities - at least it's worth a try. Of coruse you can always sell replacement bridges and figure that they are a wear item like the strings

JRJohnson wrote: : Guys, I just got a couple of large box elder trees that blew down in the : latest storm. The reason they blew down was that they were rotted up the : heart. Only 1-3" of wood on the outside was solid. But when I cut the : trunks up, it had the most beautiful spalting and color you could imagine. : The problem is that the wood is too soft to turn.

: Does anyone know of a method to harden the wood? A thin epoxy, or something : like that?

Yup -- check out

's what you're looking for. -- Andy Barss

After looking at the rotdoctor site, it seems worth a try. Thanks to all for their input.

Incidentally, I have used CA to harden soft spots. I also have used 1 lb shellac, lacquer based sanding sealer cut 50%, all of which works, but not to the degree that I am looking for. Again, thanks for the help.

Best regards, James Johnson

There's a company in Oregon called Specialty Polymers that has developed a process they call WoodSure - impregnating wood with an acrylic polymer. I've heard two demos by one of the lead research guys working for the company as well as seeing and hearing results of local turners who have taken advantage of the process. You can take the punky-est wood and it will harden it up through and through - 100% penetration. The process removes all moisture and replaces it with acrylic - done under vacuum and pressure in a sealed chamber. You can choose among a number of colors or natural.

They charge by the pound as I recall and the guy to contact is Bob McSween, , 800-770-7523.

The following was printed in our chapter newsletter (editor Fred Kline):

I had three chunks d Here's the Specialty Polymers site:

As was mentioned at the two demos and in subsequent conversations - it's not for all woods - due to the cost to process - but when you have something really special that you'd really like to use then it's a great solution.

James,

Not every piece of wood has to end up on a lathe. You are a creative person. I know you can make something worthy of the wood just as it is.

Clay Foster

JRJohns> Guys, I just got a couple of large box elder trees that blew down in the

Hi, Clay!!! Long time no see, no talk to. But in my case, if I can't turn it, I don't even burn it (any longer--moved up town & don't heat with wood any more). But I think that the response by Owen provides the answer. When I get a little more free time, I will see what it will cost to stabilize a couple peices of the wood.

Thanks to all, James Johnson

James,

Give WSSI

in eastern Iowa a shot at your stabilization work. Mike Luddeman is a good guy. All the best,

Michael Mastin Curly Woods McKinney, TX

866.Mr.Woods (866-679-6637)

Michael, I e-mailed Mike Luddeman and he replied with the information that the wood had to be dry. Since it is dripping wet right now, it will be a while before I can do anything about stabilizing it.

Thanks, James Johnson