# Stabilizing Question



## Frank A (Feb 14, 2016)

I've just started to stabilize some pieces and I was wondering how most of you are going about the process of running the vacuum pump. For a stabilizing agent I'm using Cactus Juice.

I've been running my pump for at least a couple of hours or until there are no more real bubbles coming out of the blanks and then shutting down the pump and closing the valve to hold the pressure in the pot for 24 hours. Then I drop the pressure and bake the blanks at 200 degrees for two to three hours.

So far the blanks have seemed to be well stabilized by I was wondering how much longer or shorter people might be running their pumps.


Thanks in advance.


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## TimR (Feb 14, 2016)

Well, @TurnTex is the guy to ask...from what I can tell, he's the goto on all Cactus Juice questions, for good reasons. 
What you're doing sounds fine, especially letting them sit for 24 hrs after all bubbling ceases. The time in the oven seems high, I think an hour at 200 is probably fine if blank is no more than about 2" thick at most. See what Curtis says, but it might help to specify the wood and size.


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## JR Custom Calls (Feb 14, 2016)

You need to release the vacuum, then soak twice as long as you pulled vacuum (at least, but more doesn't hurt). I don't see how you could possibly get any resin in the blanks if you're holding vacuum for 24 hours then going straight to a bake. Vacuum doesn't pull resin in, it pulls air out, which allows resin to come in once it's released. Also, a couple hours doesn't seem like enough for most wood. I've pulled vacuum for 12 hours on some stuff, but usually 4+ for most normal stuff. That's after at least 24 hours in the oven at 225 to dry them out before stabilizing.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3


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## Frank A (Feb 15, 2016)

Thanks, I had a batch in now that was under vacuum for about 6 hours. I've released the vacuum and will let them soak until tomorrow night before baking.


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## Kevin (Feb 15, 2016)

If you leave the valve closed after you shut the vacuum off, the chamber can also pull oil out of the pump and into your chamber depending on certain conditions. It will float on top of the resin but it's still a hassle to get it out.

Resin *will* penetrate the wood under a vacuum, but some species are not as easily penetrated as others, and Jon is correct when he says letting them soak under static pressure is essential. Some species take forever and some just won't ever take up much resin especially naturally oily ones. But even species with no oil that are light and seem porous such as redwood do not stabilize very easily - it's a PITA to get resin in it and I never fool with redwood or walnut anymore.

My favorite species to stabilize are hickory burl and flame boxelder and boxelder burl. I have not found a species so far that stabilizes better than hickory burl. That's why I am always looking for it. It sucks it up like a sponge the first time and gets rock hard.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## JR Custom Calls (Feb 15, 2016)

Kevin said:


> My favorite species to stabilize are hickory burl and flame boxelder and boxelder burl. I have not found a species so far that stabilizes better than hickory burl. That's why I am always looking for it. It sucks it up like a sponge the first time and gets rock hard.



Buckeye and boxelder (burl, fbe, etc) are my two favorites to stabilize. Buckeye pulls in resin like a mother


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## Chris S. (Feb 15, 2016)

After doing my second round of redwood I agree 100%, it is a pain in the ass. Thinking may try going from vacuum to pressure of 40 PSI and see what happens. Redwood sucks. Worse yet I have lots of it. Doing some type of wood. La Hala, right now. Looks like some type of palm. Also have some other pen blanks in but forget exactly what the wood is. Will see what happens. 

I ran my pump for about 9 hours this weekend, still had small bubble but majority had stopped. Released vacuum and almost 2" of juice went into blanks after an hours time. Will be soaking till wednesday. Seemes to stopped pulling in juice but just want to be safe. I actually put a piece of tape on side, mark level before pulling vacuum, mark after released vacuum, and then mark every 12 hours or so. This easy way for me to see if they still soaking up resin or not.


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