Thread: source for stabilized wood

Im looking for stabilized wood to make scales with. all I can find is pen blanks and they are to small.

Somewhere in the search mode you can find a do it yourself recipe if you're interested. Trying to think, but it has something to do with warming some kind of minwax in a mason jar with your scales, then screwing on the lid to create a vacuum which forces the goop into the wood.
Also try www.stabilizedwood.com

I'll be looking for the info on the home made stuff...
Pretty cool final result. I believe that ventilation and soaking for several days is important..
So if you live in an apartment use the flower box on the outside ledge

I've heard of people using minwax wood hardener - you would just soak your scale material in this stuff and let it dry out. I can't comment on results as I've not seen any, but I imagine it would do a fine job.

Ok, dig it. Take a large pickle jar, and a coffee can. With several cans of the minwax wood hardener in the pickle jar, place it in the coffee can. Water should be in the coffee can. Your making a double boiler. I use my BBQ since it has a burner on the outside of it to heat the water and Minwax. DON'T DO THIS INSIDE YOUR HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS STUFF IS FLAMMABLE!!!!!!!!
With the wood in the minwax, bring it to a "near boil", you'll see it foaming white. Remove from flame and screw the lid on tight.
Let it cool down, a vacuum will form which will cause any air in the wood to be displaced by the minwax. Let the jar sit a couple days. Open the jar, remove the wood and let it dry for a few days. The minwax will change the color of some woods. When the wood is dry, you can sand the wood smooth (wearing your respirator of course).
This is how I stabilize all my scales, it's works well.

The process of stailizing wood involves two ingredients, a resin and a solvent. The solvents are all flamable so be very careful. I am experimenting with different resins and solvents now and so far Acryloid B-72 is the best. I use a 2 gallon spray paint pressure tank and 56 PSI of pressure. I can tell you that Nelsonite or Min Wax Poly Clear Gloss are not what you want.

The cost is not cheap. Even the Minwax wood hardener is expensive. The reason I am doing it myself is that I have a lot of wood that can be processed, spalted maple, ash burl, highly colored boxelder, apple, plum etc. and the cost is shared by a friend.

A one gallon mix of B-72 & acetone solvent costs approx. $35. The tank, compressor and gauges cost ~$200.