# Casting/Stabilizing



## manbuckwal (Feb 17, 2013)

Is it worth it, desireable, cost effective, and/or feasible to have bigger pieces of wood like the ones below cast and/or stabilized? If so, what is the preferred product used? I have seen pics of wood done with Alumilite and have seen polytex resin first hand.

first two pics are buckeye. 2nd is graft .
[attachment=18512]
[attachment=18513]
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[attachment=18515]


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## hobbit-hut (Feb 17, 2013)

I'd be willing to give it a go


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## hobbit-hut (Feb 17, 2013)

hobbit-hut said:


> I'd be willing to give it a go



Do you want it for boxes ? What size are they each. And how dry do you think it might be ?


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## manbuckwal (Feb 17, 2013)

hobbit-hut said:


> hobbit-hut said:
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> 
> > I'd be willing to give it a go
> ...



The buckeye is roughly 4x8 1/2 x 11 3/4"
Graft is 5x9x12 I think


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## BangleGuy (Feb 17, 2013)

Really, the only way to go is to cast these blocks with colored (or clear) resin. It can be done with PR and an oven or with alumilite and a honkin' pressure pot. What I would do is Just make a dam with aluminum tape to keep the PR from running all over the place, heat your block to 200F, mix up some system three with your favorite color (preferably mica powders from Coastal Scents), pour it on top and let the PR run into the pores.

Stabilizing will not fill the larger voids (about 1/8" or bigger) and woods with internal smaller voids and soft spots can leave small pockets of hardened resin which is not very attractive. Plus, stabilizing buckeye this size would probably soak up 1/2 gallon of resin ($45) and then 25% of the resin would run back out when you cured it :rotflmao3:



Best of luck,
Eric


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## manbuckwal (Feb 17, 2013)

hobbit-hut said:


> hobbit-hut said:
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> 
> > I'd be willing to give it a go
> ...


The buckeye is bone dry . The Graft was part of a bigger piece that has been air drying for 19 months . 

The buckeye would be used for multiple things. And the graft would probably become a box or ????


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## manbuckwal (Feb 17, 2013)

BangleGuy said:


> Really, the only way to go is to cast these blocks with colored (or clear) resin. It can be done with PR and an oven or with alumilite and a honkin' pressure pot. What I would do is Just make a dam with aluminum tape to keep the PR from running all over the place, heat your block to 200F, mix up some system three with your favorite color (preferably mica powders from Coastal Scents), pour it on top and let the PR run into the pores.
> 
> Stabilizing will not fill the larger voids (about 1/8" or bigger) and woods with internal smaller voids and soft spots can leave small pockets of hardened resin which is not very attractive. Plus, stabilizing buckeye this size would probably soak up 1/2 gallon of resin ($45) and then 25% of the resin would run back out when you cured it :rotflmao3:
> 
> ...



Thanks for the reply Eric ! So in your opinion it would be better to cut into smaller slices and then cast ? Maybe 2"x3" or 3x3" or 3x4" ?


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## camoboy91 (Feb 17, 2013)

If you are interested in smaller items, my chamber will hold a max of 4 x 3 x 7' Blank.

I charge $7.00 a finished pound or a trade.


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## manbuckwal (Feb 17, 2013)

hobbit-hut said:


> I'd be willing to give it a go



Since you asked first, what would be a reasonable trade if you are interested?


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## hobbit-hut (Feb 17, 2013)

manbuckwal said:


> hobbit-hut said:
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> 
> > I'd be willing to give it a go
> ...



If you want them cut and cast for stoppers that makes things simpler. And sence you have always given me good deals, I can do the same in turn. I'll cut and make the mold and cast them. Then so you don't have to pay a lot in shipping I can turn a few and post photos. If you like them then I can turn the rest and ship them back to you and you buy and install the cork part yourself. I will do that for a like amount of same wood. Try an fill the box so as not to ship any of that Californa smog this way.:rotflmao3:


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## manbuckwal (Feb 17, 2013)

hobbit-hut said:


> manbuckwal said:
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> > hobbit-hut said:
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Sounds like a deal to me ! I will post in the trade section . Thanks again !!! We are smog free in NorCal  I will try and ship them out this week .


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## BangleGuy (Feb 17, 2013)

manbuckwal said:


> BangleGuy said:
> 
> 
> > Really, the only way to go is to cast these blocks with colored (or clear) resin. It can be done with PR and an oven or with alumilite and a honkin' pressure pot. What I would do is Just make a dam with aluminum tape to keep the PR from running all over the place, heat your block to 200F, mix up some system three with your favorite color (preferably mica powders from Coastal Scents), pour it on top and let the PR run into the pores.
> ...


Absolutley, it will be better to cut the blocks into shapes that are +1/8" to 1/4" of your final size.


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## manbuckwal (Mar 24, 2013)

BangleGuy said:


> manbuckwal said:
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> > BangleGuy said:
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Has anyone stabilized 5"x12"x12" or bigger pieces of Buckeye or other burl wood with success ???


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## manbuckwal (Apr 30, 2013)

I received a box of wood yesterday from Hobbit Hut from our trade that originated here . I cut these pen blanks tonight  from a chunk of Buckeye he stabilized n cast . Thanks Lowell !!!!!! Hope we can do more  

[attachment=24143]


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