Is there a good process for treating very light, porous wood (like
balsa, light driftwood, basswood) to harden the surface? I'm thinking
that there must be something that would be absorbed, then polymerize.
But it would have to start off low enough viscosity to permeate the
surface.

I know that heavy two-part surface coats (epoxy, polyester) could
essentially 'plate' the surface, but I'm hoping for something that
would integrate with the wood to be just a bit more natural.

Some friends use epoxy, they just scrap out the excess with a credit
card (Visa recommended). That makes a stable base for future
finishing.
Cheers
Benoit

I am not sure it this is what you are looking for. There is a product called
Wood Hardener, I believe it is made by Minwax. I have seen it in all the
Borgs. It is in with the stains and polys.
I believe the product is a treatment to harden decayed wood.
Ron

Bob wrote in news:c1cda4dmto0bhp39288bugd9k5kbh99dnf@
4ax.com:

Is there a good process for treating very light, porous wood (like
balsa, light driftwood, basswood) to harden the surface?

A lot of modelers use CA (cyanoacrylate, superglue) to harden balsa. There
are several thicknesses; thin would work best for this. You could also use
epoxy thinned with isopropyl alcohol (100% IPA from the hardware store, not
the watered-down stuff from the drug store).



--
sm@ug dot ichorfang
at gmail dot com

Woodturners turn some pretty punky wood. For small areas
thin CA glue works but for larger stuff there's a product I
think is called pentacryl or something like that. Immerse, soak
for several hours, dry and turn.

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:34:02 -0700, charlieb
wrote:

Woodturners turn some pretty punky wood. For small areas
thin CA glue works

Thanks to all for the replies. Looks like a couple recommendations for
cyanoacrylate. That would require a lot of superglue though.

but for larger stuff there's a product I
think is called pentacryl or something like that. Immerse, soak
for several hours, dry and turn.

Thanks. I found this:
http://www.woodnshop.com/PENTACRYL.htm

It looks like Polycryl would be closer to this app. Also, it says
Pentacryl could take from 2 weeks to a couple years to dry (!) so
that's not good. Not sure about drying time for Polycryl.

That's the kind of product that I was thinking of though.

"Bob" wrote in message
...
Is there a good process for treating very light, porous wood (like
balsa, light driftwood, basswood) to harden the surface? I'm thinking
that there must be something that would be absorbed, then polymerize.
But it would have to start off low enough viscosity to permeate the
surface.

I know that heavy two-part surface coats (epoxy, polyester) could
essentially 'plate' the surface, but I'm hoping for something that
would integrate with the wood to be just a bit more natural.

Epoxies like System 3 are fairly low viscosity and because they are slow
cure, they soak into the wood well. You can lower the viscosity more by
adding a little ethanol, but I don't think that is necessary.

Dave Hajicek

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:24:25 -0500, "David Hajicek"
wrote:


"Bob" wrote in message
.. .
Is there a good process for treating very light, porous wood (like
balsa, light driftwood, basswood) to harden the surface? I'm thinking
that there must be something that would be absorbed, then polymerize.
But it would have to start off low enough viscosity to permeate the
surface.

I know that heavy two-part surface coats (epoxy, polyester) could
essentially 'plate' the surface, but I'm hoping for something that
would integrate with the wood to be just a bit more natural.

Epoxies like System 3 are fairly low viscosity and because they are slow
cure, they soak into the wood well. You can lower the viscosity more by
adding a little ethanol, but I don't think that is necessary.

Sounds like you have had good luck with that stuff. I'll try to find
it then.

They have several products. Which are you referring to above? I'm
guess that it's "Clear Coat":

http://www.systemthree.com/p_clear_coat.asp

BTW, I found that they have a 'rot fix' product that may help. The
wood isn't rotted, but same kind of thing:

http://www.systemthree.com/p_rot_fix_2.asp

Where do you buy it, David?

Bob:

That's the stuff. Mix 2:1 by either weight or volume. So it is pretty easy
to mix up. The other stuff I us is mixed at 3.5:1, possibly challenging you
math skills. ;)

Dave Hajicek


"Bob" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:24:25 -0500, "David Hajicek"
wrote:


"Bob" wrote in message
. ..
Is there a good process for treating very light, porous wood (like
balsa, light driftwood, basswood) to harden the surface? I'm thinking
that there must be something that would be absorbed, then polymerize.
But it would have to start off low enough viscosity to permeate the
surface.

I know that heavy two-part surface coats (epoxy, polyester) could
essentially 'plate' the surface, but I'm hoping for something that
would integrate with the wood to be just a bit more natural.

Epoxies like System 3 are fairly low viscosity and because they are slow
cure, they soak into the wood well. You can lower the viscosity more by
adding a little ethanol, but I don't think that is necessary.

Sounds like you have had good luck with that stuff. I'll try to find
it then.

They have several products. Which are you referring to above? I'm
guess that it's "Clear Coat":

http://www.systemthree.com/p_clear_coat.asp

BTW, I found that they have a 'rot fix' product that may help. The
wood isn't rotted, but same kind of thing:

http://www.systemthree.com/p_rot_fix_2.asp

Where do you buy it, David?

On Aug 16, 6:51 am, Bob wrote:
Is there a good process for treating very light, porous wood (like
balsa, light driftwood, basswood) to harden the surface? I'm thinking
that there must be something that would be absorbed, then polymerize.
But it would have to start off low enough viscosity to permeate the
surface.

I know that heavy two-part surface coats (epoxy, polyester) could
essentially 'plate' the surface, but I'm hoping for something that
would integrate with the wood to be just a bit more natural.

Epoxy thinned with lacquer thinner. Any way you could get
the piece into a vacuum chamber?

"Father Haskell" wrote in message
...
On Aug 16, 6:51 am, Bob wrote:
Is there a good process for treating very light, porous wood (like
balsa, light driftwood, basswood) to harden the surface? I'm thinking
that there must be something that would be absorbed, then polymerize.
But it would have to start off low enough viscosity to permeate the
surface.

I know that heavy two-part surface coats (epoxy, polyester) could
essentially 'plate' the surface, but I'm hoping for something that
would integrate with the wood to be just a bit more natural.

Epoxy thinned with lacquer thinner. Any way you could get
the piece into a vacuum chamber?

If the epoxy is really slow cure (like 24 hour), it has time to evaporate
before the epoxy is really hard. But the stuff we talked about wicks into
the wood pretty well on it's own without being thinned.

Dave Hajicek

May I assume an epoxy, thinned or not, would give a stronger end result
than super glue? I've not found super glue to be all that strong as a
physical body. That is, assuming it is built up to have some body.

"David Hajicek" said:

"Father Haskell" wrote in message
...
On Aug 16, 6:51 am, Bob wrote:
Is there a good process for treating very light, porous wood (like
balsa, light driftwood, basswood) to harden the surface? I'm thinking
that there must be something that would be absorbed, then polymerize.
But it would have to start off low enough viscosity to permeate the
surface.

I know that heavy two-part surface coats (epoxy, polyester) could
essentially 'plate' the surface, but I'm hoping for something that
would integrate with the wood to be just a bit more natural.

Epoxy thinned with lacquer thinner. Any way you could get
the piece into a vacuum chamber?

If the epoxy is really slow cure (like 24 hour), it has time to evaporate
before the epoxy is really hard. But the stuff we talked about wicks
into the wood pretty well on it's own without being thinned.

Dave Hajicek


JimL

--

Push ALL sources of energy! Keep our energy money AT HOME!

wrote in message
...
May I assume an epoxy, thinned or not, would give a stronger end result
than super glue? I've not found super glue to be all that strong as a
physical body. That is, assuming it is built up to have some body.


JimL

--

Push ALL sources of energy! Keep our energy money AT HOME!

I would expect the epoxy to be much stronger.

Dave Hajicek

"Bob" wrote in message
...
Is there a good process for treating very light, porous wood (like
balsa, light driftwood, basswood) to harden the surface? I'm thinking
that there must be something that would be absorbed, then polymerize.
But it would have to start off low enough viscosity to permeate the
surface.

I know that heavy two-part surface coats (epoxy, polyester) could
essentially 'plate' the surface, but I'm hoping for something that
would integrate with the wood to be just a bit more natural.

Bob.. Try a couple coats of sanding sealer. WW