Using soap solution to stabilise wet wood

[graduate_owner]

Hi everyone,
here's a link to a site describing how to stabilise wet wood using a soap solution. The actual bit about soap is at the end of the article.

http://www.ronkent.com/techniques.php

I must point out that I've only read it, not actually tried it.

K

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It's got to be worth a try, hasn't it?

 

[EnErY]

Wort A bash i Reckon
Bill

 

[CHJ]

Detergents, Soaps, Boiling, Pressure Cookers, Alcohol Soak all keep rearing their heads at regular intervals, personally having tried each of them I find time is a better and cheaper way, allowing precious time to be spent creating pieces rather than playing alchemist.

My experience has been that any of the processes have gained a reduction in the 'fit for turning' time at the expense of about double the hands on time spent on a particular piece of wood from store to table. If you trawl back through UKW there are many references to my and others attempts and results with the various brews.

Steaming/autoclaving/kiln drying in bulk as is done by Glen Lucas is obviously worthwhile and very cost and quality effective but personally having played and cogitated about the results obtainable in ones and twos at home, together with changes in wood handling and finishing the different 'methods' impart I'm happier to let nature do the job for me and only ever go as far as rough turning and air drying these days.

 

[paulm]

Likewise Chas, keep it simple and get on with the turning I reckon

Cheers, Paul

 

[woodyturner]

im in full agreement with Chas the time spent doing all that is time lost turning

 

[graduate_owner]

I guess that link was not so useful then.
Here's one I found earlier, this time on making your own tipped turning tools. Now this I will be having a go at, I've ordered some Sandvik tips from ebay ready.
I hope to post some pics when the job is done, and give some idea of how they cut.

K

 

[hughie]

I have used this method extensively over a period of 2 years and it has merit. However there is a proviso it does not work on all timbers and you will have to find what species it works of you.
Down under it works on mainly soft timbers such as Camphor laurel and in this case it shortens the process to weeks from months or years and certainly Norfolk Pine. The hardwoods here have a mind of their own and time is about the only reliable method I have found so far.
What I did find was that those timbers that responded well to soap mix would also respond equally well to plain water soaking and the general method here was/is to soak and change the water till it remains clear.

 

[CHJ]

.....What I did find was that those timbers that responded well to soap mix would also respond equally well to plain water soaking and the general method here was/is to soak and change the water till it remains clear.

I've had much the same experience here Hughie, both with water/soap and the alcohol, plain water was only a matter of days difference to detergent/soap as was unsoaked as opposed to alcohol in my situation/location.

The difference in time for me being well within the difference between different batches of the same species.
Trials with rogue species like UK grown Eucalyptus to find a method of drying without cavities or splitting just turned out to be several months of frustration I can do without.

I got a marked difference in 'hardness' of the wood dried after alcohol soak.

I think with me it's the drying location that has the most influence (most beneficial effect) and I suspect anyone playing around at home trying to speed things up is just as likely to have success with choosing the correct location for them as much as the method.

I am certainly convinced that methods that work in one geographic location or from a similar botanical species may not work at all on another continent where natural temperatures and humidity are poles apart.

 

[hughie]

I've had much the same experience here Hughie, both with water/soap and the alcohol, plain water was only a matter of days difference to detergent/soap as was unsoaked as opposed to alcohol in my situation/location.

...and I dont do much of it these days either