"Dave in Fairfax" wrote in message
...
George wrote:
Oddly, this is one method that really does work, though what's left
isn't
pretty.
The soluble glycol remains inside the cells after drying. Of course,
unlike the more magical methods, this and other soaks take weeks or
months
to get into the wood, and the solutions have to be renewed to retain
their
effect.
I left the wood in it for a couple of weeks because I wasn't sure
how fast it would infiltrate, but the results were less than
stellar. Sorry. YMMV.


I read the book they had at the time - Working Green Wood With PEG - I think
it was. Still have a vat for carving mallets, an excellent use for PEG, in
my estimation. It fills the voids with that waxy semi-solid, and it draws
moisture from the air more than plain wood. Makes for a decent dead blow,
with a surface that hits with a damp "thunk" rather than a sharp crack.
Easier on the elbow.

Just came in from carving bowls into five spoons with one. Relative
humidity is 75% by the hygrometer, so the surface feels almost wet to the
touch.