# If someone wanted to start doing some stabilizing....



## FLQuacker (Apr 11, 2018)

Which system/brand would you recommend?

I'm really not interested in homebuilt. (by me)


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## woodman6415 (Apr 11, 2018)

Only one I would ever recommend is the units sold by Curtis at www.turntex.com ... great products ... lots of info on his site .. and the very best customer service bar none .. look him up if your serious about buying a setup

Reactions: Agree 4


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## Sprung (Apr 11, 2018)

Honestly, home built is rather easy to do and is a much more cost effective way to get a chamber going. If you change your mind about building one, or even just want to see what it would entail first, I'd be happy to talk. I do have a couple very lightly used chambers for sale here since I am going to be re-configuring my setup.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## woodman6415 (Apr 11, 2018)

Sprung said:


> Honestly, home built is rather easy to do and is a much more cost effective way to get a chamber going. If you change your mind about building one, or even just want to see what it would entail first, I'd be happy to talk. I do have a couple very lightly used chambers for sale here since I am going to be re-configuring my setup.


This would be my second choice ..

Reactions: Agree 1


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## FLQuacker (Apr 18, 2018)

Thanks all...I got in line for a Turntex.

I've got about 30 blm burl blocks to stabilize to start...figured the "cost" in trading someone 1/2 to do it washes anyway.

Lol...stay tuned for more ??'s

Reactions: Like 3


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## cgseymour (Apr 28, 2018)

Hello Wayne
Just curious, what did you wind up getting?
I am thinking of jumping in as well.

Thank you


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## FLQuacker (Apr 29, 2018)

Went with a 6*12 to get started.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tclem (Apr 29, 2018)

Just make sure you stabilize properly. So many people out there stabilizing wet wood and not doing it properly. I’ve turned lots of junk that I’ve gotten from people who claim to have stabilized the blanks and it turns out to be a waste of time and wood.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## FLQuacker (Apr 29, 2018)

Rest assured of that. Before I get to a selling model it would have to pass the most anal critic. Me.

I've had some of what you refer to as well.

Reactions: Like 1


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## The100road (Apr 29, 2018)

Yep. No short cuts work. 

Also, some woods take a lot longer to stabilize then others. The oily ones I’ve been letting soak for a week and that seems to be working out pretty well.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## rocky1 (Apr 29, 2018)

I typically don't pull them until they are no longer buoyant. When they quit floating, you know you have 100% saturation.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## FLQuacker (May 30, 2018)

Eeww...it's on the way!

Got a robinair pump ordered and a gal of juice to start.

So....I think I want to use an electric smoker for preparing and cooking.

Good or bad idea?


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## The100road (May 30, 2018)

I think you can. But I found a toaster oven on offerup for like $10 that works great. 

You’ll find yourself wanting more juice fairly quickly.


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## rocky1 (May 30, 2018)

@Sprung - I believe is doing so. Newer one with electronic controls, set your temp and time and walk away. Considerably more versatile than the toaster oven and holds more wood.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Sprung (May 30, 2018)

Yes, I am using an electric smoker w/ digital/electronic controls. I also have a toaster oven that I use.

I like the smoker for the capacity - especially with drying wood. It also allows me to stabilize larger blanks than I could if I was only curing in a toaster oven. I can also cure larger amounts at a time - if I've had all four of my chambers filled and running at the same time, and thus ready to cure at the same time, by using the smoker (and the toaster oven for some overflow), I can cure everything in an afternoon vs. if I just used the toaster oven, it could take me a couple weeks to cure it all.

I still have and use my toaster oven for small batches or overflow when curing a lot at once, but for the most part I use the smoker to cure in.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Bayou Charm Mill (Jun 1, 2018)

oh Stabilizing... I use 5 gallon vac chambers by bestvaluevacs.com with Harbor Freight 2.5cfm pumps. For my resin, I use SOS-726. its made by Ken Bandoly and is available at shedlifellc.com or you can get it through Jake Bishop at Oakbrookwoodturningsupply.com.

Reactions: Like 1


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## rocky1 (Jun 2, 2018)

I picked up a Masterbuilt Electric w/Electronic Controls back at Thanksgiving, not necessarily because I thought it was the greatest smoker in the world, but because my old one died Thanksgiving Eve at 11 pm when I went to put the Turkey on. Wally World was the only place open to buy a smoker in town, and it was the nicest one they had. Can't complain, it hasn't given us a minute's trouble, and it's pretty straight forward to run. Set your time, set your temp and walk away. Not sure if they all do, but mine does bluetooth and I can program it through my phone. Doesn't work worth a damn, so don't spend extra money to get that feature. If you're under the carport it works OK, if you're in the dining, or in my recliner in the living room, both right next to the carport, it don't work! 

Looked to see what they have available at the moment Wayne, and they have one marked with Rollback Price... Masterbuilt Smoker 

Otherwise the next model appears to be $178... Masterbuilt Smoker II

Reactions: Like 1


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## FLQuacker (Jun 2, 2018)

Not sure why but the glass see thru has my eye....gotta be more fun than watching paint dry


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## rocky1 (Jun 2, 2018)

That $288 model with the glass door is the one I bought. But I bought it so we can see how the groceries are cooking inside, and because it came with the temperature probe.


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## FLQuacker (Jun 11, 2018)

Dang Rocky...bass pro has it $200 now till 17th. Just saw it in a flyer for Father's day. Guess will be riding over to Tally tomorrow

Should have the chamber next week... Curtis got a little behind teaching a 2 week class. I am ready!

Reactions: Like 1


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## rocky1 (Jun 11, 2018)

Makes a mean turkey!! But, you don't want to use the same one for smoking and stabilizing. Better pick up two while they're cheap!! 

For that price, I should make a trip to Gainesville and grab one.

Reactions: Like 1


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## FLQuacker (Jul 2, 2018)

The "Experiment" has officially begun.

Been in N FL for a few weeks and got home this afternoon.

Before I even unpacked the truck and boat, got my first drying batch on and cooking :)

Gonna try some of that spalted guanacaste

Got the tank setup and ready to go.

I'm dragn', fished the Bass Pro Red/Trout shootout Saturday and still haven't recuperated.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 1


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## Sprung (Jul 2, 2018)

Very cool!

Just to give you a warning/heads up since it's summer and you're in Florida - keep your Cactus Juice below 85F as indicated on the jug, otherwise you run the risk of it setting up on its own in the chamber. I've already seen a few reports this summer of people whose resin has set up while they left their chamber going under vacuum because their shop was too hot and the resin went off. Then you're out a chamber, the resin, and the wood.

Reactions: Informative 3


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## FLQuacker (Jul 2, 2018)

That's probably going to be something I have yet figured out how to deal with, during stabilization. Shed opened up and a fan still prob +85. Looks like back to the graveyard shift. Thought I'd done my time on that 25 yrs ago :)


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## Sprung (Jul 2, 2018)

I know some set their chamber in a cooler and fill with ice and water up to the level of the resin (and add ice as needed) or have some water bottles they freeze (and refreeze and reuse) just for the task to serve as the ice portion. Some will even then store their resin in jugs in a refrigerator in the shop so it doesn't get hot.

If I had my setup in the garage, it would be too warm in there as of late. I have my chambers set up in our basement (a luxury you probably don't have in FL) and cure it in the garage.


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## FLQuacker (Jul 3, 2018)

So sitn here watching the bubbles...I'm thinkn maybe a mini fridge.

By August it'll be 100 in the shop.

Good reason for insulation and climate control but the shop will be in N FL next year... hopefully!

No sense spending on it here.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## FLQuacker (Jul 3, 2018)

So far so good, thanks to the Pro Staff on WB!

Pulled 9 hrs of full vacuum. This wood is very fibrous and porous. Bubbles barely a few trickles and a cooling storm moved in and I didn't want to chance a lightning strike interrupting power and killing the pump on full vacuum.

Sucked a full inch in when I dropped the vacuum.

Really pulls at 12ft elevation!

Gonna let it soak till tomorrow, then cook em.

Again, thanks to all for providing insight.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 1


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## gman2431 (Jul 3, 2018)

FLQuacker said:


> So sitn here watching the bubbles...I'm thinkn maybe a mini fridge.
> 
> By August it'll be 100 in the shop.
> 
> ...



I have a mini fridge just for resin in the shop and nothing else.....

I also have AC in there and have my hose running through the wall so my pump is outside in the lean 2 and not being loud inside. 

Beside the temp of resin the biggest thing I've noticed is temp of pump also when it's hot out. 

I've since gone to doing almost all my stabilizing in the winter. With my pump being outside I couldn't barely touch it if I ran it right now. Winter it is warm too the touch and that's it. 

Kinda sucks to have to buy all that resin and get stuff ready for winter to run but I can only imagine how much longer my pump will last not running crazy hot nor having to worry about the resin.

Reactions: Like 1


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## rocky1 (Jul 3, 2018)

Temps in my shop hit 110 - 115o, fairly regular, like almost on a daily basis during summer. Have an attic vent fan in the eves, thermostat set at about 120o, and it's been running the last two afternoons when I walked in. Temps at ground level are like walking into an oven. I've never had a problem with resin setting up, in the jug, in the pot, under vacuum, open, not in no way shape, form, or fashion. Don't know why others experience the problem honestly, unless it is because they are doing prolonged runs with their pump, because I don't do that with my pump. I'm usually not in a hurry, if the stuff sits in the pot a week, 10 days, 2 months, so be it. I pull full vacuum on it, run it until it settles down, shut it off, and let it sit. Pull it down another time or two that day, pull it next morning, next evening, pull it every day for week, pull it just whenever I go to the shop, and let it sit under vacuum for days/weeks otherwise. 

Where I think they get into trouble, if you read the instructions, it states that Cactus Juice boils at approximately 90o F. and in doing so, it may be generating heat/activating/whatever through prolonged boiling. I know if I try and run batches when it's hot in the shop; the stuff boils. It bubbles off the bottom of the plastic bowl where there's nothing there to give up air. Looks just like water boiling in a pot on the stove. And, it will bubble off the bowl for as long as you run your pump. Have frequently seen bubbles all over coming off the bowl, when none were really coming out of the wood. 

However... should mine set up in the chamber, I'm out a chlorine tablet bucket, or a lunch meat container. One of the benefits of the 10 gallon chamber, and working with batches inside of it. 

Might want to make a mental note of conditions each time you pull it Wayne, so if it does happen to set up, you don't do that again!

Reactions: Informative 1


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## FLQuacker (Jul 5, 2018)

Well...they sure feel stabilized!

BLM burl and a pen blank cut in half of Guanacaste (ear pod)

And the first gallon is pretty much gone, this could turn into an expensive past time.

(6 blm pot call size, 3 spalted sycamore pot call size and a couple stopper size, 16 pen blanks.

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 2


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## Ray D (Jul 5, 2018)

Nice looking blm. I know nothing about stabilizing but I do turn a fair amount of pot calls. To save money, could you rough out the pots first before they go into the juice? Or would that be more trouble than it’s worth?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## gman2431 (Jul 5, 2018)

Ray D said:


> Nice looking blm. I know nothing about stabilizing but I do turn a fair amount of pot calls. To save money, could you rough out the pots first before they go into the juice? Or would that be more trouble than it’s worth?



I round call blanks that take a ton of juice... I've found it highly worth my time. Doesn't give that nice look tho unless you spin em again if you're looking to resell. I turn mine mostly tho so dont care I can see em without being sanded nicely and wet.

Reactions: Like 2


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## FLQuacker (Jul 5, 2018)

I'm sure I'll address that possibility down the road....now I'm just learning the stabilizing process.

For personal stuff, I can see the savings. But I've not seen too many round blanks for sale.

With the cost, some has to get sold :)


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## gman2431 (Jul 5, 2018)

FLQuacker said:


> I'm sure I'll address that possibility down the road....now I'm just learning the stabilizing process.
> 
> For personal stuff, I can see the savings. But I've not seen too many round blanks for sale.
> 
> With the cost, some has to get sold :)



I actually know a guy in Nova Scotia who sells only round blanks for rod making and does very good at it... but as you said I haven't really seen it much either and I dont know why. If they still measure what ya need and who ever rounded them kept em consistent i dont see what the problem is.


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## The100road (Jul 5, 2018)

Turn a few and make sure they are solid then it’s time to sell a few to fund the hobby!


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## rocky1 (Jul 5, 2018)

Buy in quantity, direct from Turntex, it gets cheaper!


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