# Show of hands, how many stabilize or want to stabilize their own blanks?



## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

Do you stabilize your own blanks? if not do you want to? or is the quantities not there for the investment? Im just curious of how many people actually do it for their turning stock..


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

Not me ... :no:

(I'm going in enough different directions without adding another one!)


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

duncsuss said:


> Not me ... :no:
> 
> (I'm going in enough different directions without adding another one!)


Lol none at all?


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## jdpber (Mar 25, 2014)

I have a 2.5cfm vacuum pump and hosing and canister. I need top Lexan and some valves and media. And I will be stabilizing all of my knife handles my self for now on.


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## clpead (Oct 10, 2012)

[(I'm going in enough different directions without adding another one!)[/QUOTE]

I couldn't have said it better. :laughing:

I don't do enough lathe work right now for it to make sense. I do like the mixing of materials though.


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

RusDemka said:


> Lol none at all?


I don't want to stabilize bowl blanks, can't afford that much resin (and besides, I can't wait till they are dry enough to benefit from the process.)

Pen blanks I can usually fix with CA as I go along, although I admit there are some instances where a stabilized blank is much better. Those I can buy -- or live without (I honestly don't care whether or not I make another pen from black palm, for example.)

Peppermill blanks? Maybe, but I'd need a huge pressure pot. Can't be bothered.

All that said, you may notice that I haven't used the word "never" :laughing:


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

duncsuss said:


> I don't want to stabilize bowl blanks, can't afford that much resin (and besides, I can't wait till they are dry enough to benefit from the process.)
> 
> Pen blanks I can usually fix with CA as I go along, although I admit there are some instances where a stabilized blank is much better. Those I can buy -- or live without (I honestly don't care whether or not I make another pen from black palm, for example.)
> 
> ...


Lol. Bring up good points


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## Miller Woodworks (Dec 11, 2013)

I stabilize my own pen blanks. No pressure set up for me though. I just drop them in mason jars and fill the jars with a mixture of acetone and acrylic. I've dissolved as much acrylic as will readily dissolve into a gallon of acetone and just keep reusing the stuff. I let them soak in that stuff until they sink and all the bubbles stop. Once the bubbles stop, I leave them in for another day or two just for good measure. Normally, it's about a week long process from start to finish. 

If there's an easier, or better way that won't cost an arm and a leg, I'd love to hear about it.


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

Miller Woodworks said:


> I stabilize my own pen blanks. No pressure set up for me though. I just drop them in mason jars and fill the jars with a mixture of acetone and acrylic. I've dissolved as much acrylic as will readily dissolve into a gallon of acetone and just keep reusing the stuff. I let them soak in that stuff until they sink and all the bubbles stop. Once the bubbles stop, I leave them in for another day or two just for good measure. Normally, it's about a week long process from start to finish.
> 
> If there's an easier, or better way that won't cost an arm and a leg, I'd love to hear about it.


That's interesting...


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

I have my own stabilizing rig from TurnTex mainly for pen blanks and knife scales. I'm going to get a new bigger tank in a while so I can do bigger pieces or more in a batch. Which means I'm going to have to find a bigger toaster oven.


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## Rad (Oct 8, 2012)

I do a little stabilizing with Pentacryl

Rabologist of Milesius


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

Got various inputs here.. 

I guess ill just cut down to the chase.. I wanted to do a giveaway of a stabilizing chamber here. The reason is the woodworking class that I used yo volunteer at, I can't anymore due to my twins born but the class is in huge need of a band saw. I wanted to get the rikon 14" from woodccraft on sale right now for $419. THe giveaway would be in hopes that people would donate some funds to go towards the purchase of a new band saw. All tools and equipment are all donated and they are not safe and just are horrible.. attached is a picture of a glass chamber I'm thinking of giving away. Its 4x 18" round glass. Can hold a lot of blanks..

What do you guys think? I have to run this by the mods first course..


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## JohnInTexas (Apr 1, 2014)

I am turning my own wood. I haven't been doing this long enough to have any long-term cured blanks. Ultimately, what I'm saying is that most of my pieces have huge cracks in them now :>)


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

RusDemka said:


> .... What do you guys think? I have to run this by the mods first course..
> 
> View attachment 92274


Mercy! My monitor is too big and heavy to be turning it sideways. :laughing:


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

Bill Boehme said:


> Mercy! My monitor is too big and heavy to be turning it sideways. :laughing:


I know. Can't rotate pic on my phone. Sorry


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

Is this better. My neck was straining lol


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## Priusjames (Jan 13, 2014)

After watching your video build of a cheap rig, I've been tempted to give it a go...I even bought a couple of vacuum devices (and looked at the pumps at HFT) in case I get around to it.

Then I checked out the price on the resins, realized that's the part I won't be able to afford. Go figure.

It hasn't stopped me from watching out for likely glass cylinders when I'm out and about, though, and I was lucky woodcraft didn't have wide/soft gaskets for sale yesterday...

I guess the quick answer would have been "not me, yet".


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

Priusjames said:


> After watching your video build of a cheap rig, I've been tempted to give it a go...I even bought a couple of vacuum devices (and looked at the pumps at HFT) in case I get around to it.
> 
> Then I checked out the price on the resins, realized that's the part I won't be able to afford. Go figure.
> 
> ...


Yup. A $150 pump. $100 resin one would need to comit to it. Seems like everyone has the same outlook. Would be nice to have but can live without it because of the investment price


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## preacherman (Nov 29, 2011)

All I turn is pens so stabilizing is in my future. I really want a stabilizing set up but have not yet worked up to it. The initial cost is what is keeping me from doing it. 
I just got my pressure tank set up and got a couple of good pours and ran out of resin:thumbdown:. 
Right now, with baby #2 on the way my play fund is non existent. So any turning is just what I have stored.


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

I toyed with the idea of buying a stabilizing setup but theres so many great guys such as you and Bangleguy that do my stabilizing for such great prices that it never made since to make the investment myself.:thumbsup:


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## ghost5 (Aug 19, 2012)

I guess I am the same as most folks while I would love to stabilize and actually need to be able to the costs of setup and resins puts it out of reach. I can't tell you how many blanks I have here that are beautiful but too light in weight to be of use to me. I just traded a box full of Russian Olive and FBE for that very reason. 

That would be a great giveaway to possibly get someone started on a setup.


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## RusDemka (Jun 9, 2012)

ghost5 said:


> I guess I am the same as most folks while I would love to stabilize and actually need to be able to the costs of setup and resins puts it out of reach. I can't tell you how many blanks I have here that are beautiful but too light in weight to be of use to me. I just traded a box full of Russian Olive and FBE for that very reason.
> 
> That would be a great giveaway to possibly get someone started on a setup.


How about I empty some of that space. Send it to me ill find a home for it lol


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