# Couple Q’s about stabilizing: stacking blanks



## WoodDance1618 (Jun 16, 2019)

hi,
I’m doing my very first stabilizing today...and I have a few thousand to go.

I cut a dozen pair of matched knife handle blanks this morning. I got out my vacuum chamber (I have 3 sizes but I went with smaller for best coverage of fluid)

I’m wondering how you guys stack these things. I didn’t. I laid some pvc welding rods in the bottom and covered with a 4” steel lathe mount. I could have fit A LOT more wood in if I laid them flat and stacked them. If I had another gallon of juice I could have put them end down and did them all plus some but I was worried about maintaining space between pieces.

1) tell me about fitting the most in at once.
a) Spacing between pieces?
b) any materials to avoid putting in chamber along with blanks? If I laid my blanks end up I could use something to displace fluid, like a steel block?

Also,
2) When prepping these blanks for sale, Is it best to sand off all bandsaw marks? Before or after stabilizing?

Here’s my chamber with 4 pair of matched box elder burl knife blanks. it’s been going 1.25 hours and still bubbling a little.

I love a good Sunday in my shop.

Reactions: Way Cool 2


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## ripjack13 (Jun 16, 2019)

@rocky1 
@Sprung 
@Schroedc


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## Sprung (Jun 16, 2019)

I squeeze in and stack with no issues. But I do use something to raise any end grain or burl pieces from off the floor of a flat chamber, so resin can get in there a little better. As far as knife scales go, your best bet is to stabilize them as blocks and then cut into scales after stabilizing. Sometimes pieces will twist or warp during the process - thinner pieces especially - and you can lose a lot of thickness on those scales sanding them flat if they twist or cup. Stabilize as blocks - and that gives you the option to sell as blocks or to slice and sell as scales.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Agree 2 | Informative 2


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## rocky1 (Jun 16, 2019)

No issues simply stacking them in the stabilizing pot, but as Matt said, they will occasionally twist and warp when you cook them off. You won't see it when you vacuum and soak, as a rule, it'll show up when you cook them. Thinner pieces are simply more subject to twisting and warping with heat applied. Understand where you were thinking, and yes, they will probably get better penetration quicker, sawed thinner, but... Take your time, don't try and rush the stabilizing job unless you have to. Let them soak, for days, don't try and do it in an afternoon, you'll get much better penetration as a rule. 

Next issue would be, should you elect to dye them, it's easier to get book matched pairs if you dye as a whole than splitting them. Tough to get even penetration on a pair of scales that are already split. 

Cooking wrapped or unwrapped is a tough call there. Wrapped may prevent them from warping, as it disperses heat differently, but you have to increase your temperature to get them to cook off wrapped, which increases your chances of warping. Personally, I prefer unwrapped, watch your temperature closely on your toaster oven, bake at 185 - 190o, and soon as they look done, pull them to help prevent warping. Over cooking them will pretty much guarantee problems, especially if your toaster over doesn't provide fairly consistent heat. If the temperature runs way up and cools down, that way up thing might cause you problems. My toaster over is convection so the temperature remains fairly constant.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## WoodDance1618 (Jun 16, 2019)

Thank you!


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## Chris S. (Jul 22, 2019)

I found unwrapped works best when cooking for better retention of resin in blank and not as much mess all over the blank. Seemed like wrapped blanks had more resin come out during cooking and just overall was a pain. Just dont stack together when cooking or they going to be a pain to get apart afterwards.

Reactions: Agree 2 | Informative 1 | Useful 1


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