# More lessons learned



## norman vandyke (Sep 3, 2016)

Decided to take it upon myself to try stabilizing grape vine for calls and pens. Initially, I put two call sized pieces into a container, filled with resin to 1/2" over the stock. Pulled vacuum for about 2 minutes, realized this stuff was going to absorb a whole lot more than what I put in with it. I was right. Turned off the vacuum and let the air back in and watched as the grape vine drank down a whole inch of resin as I watched. I added more and started again. Only took 1 hour and it was bubble free. Cut the vacuum and let them soak for 3 hours. Pulled them out to throw in the oven. Wrapped up in foil and placed in my oven, preheated to 200°F. 2 hours later I pulled them out and discovered that probably half the resin had cooked out of the foil. Also not sure about how they look but here's one of them. Dyed blue/green. If I stabilize grape vine again, I'll be triple wrapping ther blanks.

Reactions: Like 4 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 3


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## ripjack13 (Sep 3, 2016)

@Chris S. ....this is why people wrap em.
Not saying it's wrong not to, but...it helps keep it in where it's sposta be...


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## ripjack13 (Sep 3, 2016)

Norm, not for nothing, those look good though. Have you cut into one?


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## norman vandyke (Sep 3, 2016)

ripjack13 said:


> Norm, not for nothing, those look good though. Have you cut into one?


I have not. I'll try to find time to split one open tonight or tomorrow.


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## Tony (Sep 3, 2016)

That does look pretty cool, I'd like to see how they end up. Tony


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## norman vandyke (Sep 3, 2016)

Tony said:


> That does look pretty cool, I'd like to see how they end up. Tony


As far as finished calls or pens, I'll have to wait until I can include them as peanuts for an order. Lol

Reactions: Like 1


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## norman vandyke (Sep 3, 2016)

Doesn't look that great to me. Kinda like quarter sawn oak. I sliced it right down the middle.

Reactions: Like 2


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## ripjack13 (Sep 3, 2016)

Grip material!....definitely grips....


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## Nature Man (Sep 3, 2016)

Actually awesome looking to me... Chuck


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## Chris S. (Sep 3, 2016)

So I find this very interesting. If baked and wrapped and lost that much resin do you think wrapping thicker will keep more resin in the blank? Is it the temperature that is making the resin come out of the blanks? By looks of it they look very well done. 

Buckeye is one wood where you can watch it suck the resin up as you add it and when I wrapped had lots of resin come back out but also I was baking around 200-210 degrees. Now I have lowered temp to 180-190 and less comes out and not wrapped so blank stays cleaner. From my experiences so far, no matter how tightly I wrap wood if resin is going to come out it comes out, and seems the higher the temperature the more that comes out. However one major thing to remember, I have no idea what I am doing and this is all done in an effort to see if different ideas have positive or negative results. I love open discussions on ideas. 

Anyway I think the grape looks cool and would make some neat handles. Plus the pith can be filled in nicely with a nice contrasting stone to make a accent in the handle. Very nice work. Your dye jobs always look killer!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## norman vandyke (Sep 4, 2016)

Chris S. said:


> So I find this very interesting. If baked and wrapped and lost that much resin do you think wrapping thicker will keep more resin in the blank? Is it the temperature that is making the resin come out of the blanks? By looks of it they look very well done.
> 
> Buckeye is one wood where you can watch it suck the resin up as you add it and when I wrapped had lots of resin come back out but also I was baking around 200-210 degrees. Now I have lowered temp to 180-190 and less comes out and not wrapped so blank stays cleaner. From my experiences so far, no matter how tightly I wrap wood if resin is going to come out it comes out, and seems the higher the temperature the more that comes out. However one major thing to remember, I have no idea what I am doing and this is all done in an effort to see if different ideas have positive or negative results. I love open discussions on ideas.
> 
> Anyway I think the grape looks cool and would make some neat handles. Plus the pith can be filled in nicely with a nice contrasting stone to make a accent in the handle. Very nice work. Your dye jobs always look killer!


I switched the type of foil recently. Was using heavy duty, now back to regular. Never had a problem with the heavy duty. I am wondering if many elevation could require lower temp for cooking though. Grape vine is so porous it wanted to let go of the resin before the cooking even started. Lol


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## gman2431 (Sep 4, 2016)

I don't see how wrapping or not wrapping is gonna make a difference. No matter how tight you wrap it will still push out.


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## norman vandyke (Sep 4, 2016)

gman2431 said:


> I don't see how wrapping or not wrapping is gonna make a difference. No matter how tight you wrap it will still push out.


I didn't have any issues with heavy duty foil wrapping, so there must be something to it, at least for more porous woods.


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## Chris S. (Sep 4, 2016)

I wonder if the more porous woods just take so much in that it literally just runs out as it cures due to the high amount of resin it absorbs and just can't stay suspended in the wood once pulled out of resin and the heating to cure just makes the problem even more pronounced.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## ClintW (Sep 4, 2016)

Could you seal the outside of the blank first? By say hitting it with a torch or placing each face on a preheated surface for a few moments? If you can get the outside to polymerize a bit, it should seal itself in. Just a thought 

Grapevine on the quarter sawn look really cool!


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## gman2431 (Sep 4, 2016)

ClintW said:


> Could you seal the outside of the blank first? By say hitting it with a torch or placing each face on a preheated surface for a few moments? If you can get the outside to polymerize a bit, it should seal itself in. Just a thought
> 
> Grapevine on the quarter sawn look really cool!



I've thought about this but with a heatgun.

Reactions: Like 1


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## rocky1 (Sep 4, 2016)

Good looking blank Norm... Would possibly make for some interesting little call blanks as well. While it may not be big enough for duck or goose calls, a closed reed predator call you can turn under an inch and still have a sweet little call. These and a couple dozen more like them are all turned out of stock that was only 13/16" square. A profile like the one on the left would put you out there in the brighter colors on the blank you split, with the deeper cuts picking up a little of the darker color surrounding the pith. Might make a really cool looking little call.

Reactions: Like 2


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