Turning spalted wood

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:12 pm

drl,

There are different viscosities or cure-times of CA glues available. I have had one of the middle-thickness bottles quite a while. On some pens I have laid on a bit of CA to stabilize and "fill" the wood. Usually I do it by turning the lathe mandrel slowly by hand, with a paper towel to spread CA on the wood. After a bit it is ready to sand with successive grades.

Another tip I heard here was to not cap the CA-glue immediately after use, on my upright bottle. Let it stand for several minutes then cap the bottle. This is effective at keeping the tip opening from clogging. It's pretty neat stuff!

sawmill · Post by **sawmill** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:06 pm

I made several wood vases to hols artifical flowers this week and my wife keeps giving them to friends as fast as I could make them. This spalted maple was something different to turn. I got to use my sharpener a lot. I have some of the pieces that I turned that had a stress crack on one side and I tried different ways to fill it after the part was roughed out. I tried wood glue and it worked ok but I didn't think it looked all that great. Next I tried super glue and this stuff worked great. I used the gel type and applyed it, let it set for a couple of hours and had a mess, it did not dry down deep in the center. The nice part about wood turning you can screw up and make the item a different shape or size and no one will notice. My next try with super glue was I applyed it and let it set overnight. Then I made a skim cut and sanded it and it came out really well. The vase looks like the crack is still there but is filled with a super clear filler, Any imprefections in the wood can be filled with this stuff but be smoothe. I will try and get some pictures of the one on the lathe if my daughter brings my camera back tomorrow. This is my first turning project on the shopsmith and it was a joy compared to using my other lathe. A couple of items I am going to need is a drill chuck that I can put in the tailstock and a couple of more small faceplates. If I would of had some CA glue I would have tried it and I think it would have worked as well as the super glue.

curiousgeorge · Post by **curiousgeorge** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:15 pm

If I would of had some CA glue I would have tried it and I think it would have worked as well as the super glue.

Sawmill,

CA glue is Super Glue. Or vise versa.

sawmill · Post by **sawmill** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:18 pm

I know that CA glue is super glue but it comes in bigger sizes and different dry times than super glue does. I used to use it a lot on models. I guess I was typing without think. Thanks

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:47 pm

Sawmill

What other lathe do you have and if you get a tailstock arbor(#505603). You can use the SS drill chuck.

sawmill · Post by **sawmill** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 3:57 pm

I have an all cast iron Rockwell which I have had for the past 30 years.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 4:17 pm

sawmill wrote:I have an all cast iron Rockwell which I have had for the past 30 years.

Tried to buy replacement parts for it recently?:D

grouser · Post by **grouser** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 4:50 pm

Epoxy will fill a gap. The Ca is good for structural intergrity in wood that is less than perfect. Also why HIDE the crack? Some cracks add to the chararter of the wood and if the turner ACCENTS this by using an attractive contrasting color ( mayby ground up torquoise) or something it can add to the piece rather than take from it.

fjimp · Post by **fjimp** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 6:27 pm

I learned from a pen turning DVD that either epoxy or CA glue can be mixed with wood shavings from your turning (neat because it matches your turning or if you are creative, intentionally not match). I then use a small pointed wood scap to force the mixed ca or expxy/shavings into the defect. Yes I wear rubber gloves. I always build the spot higher than the area I have already turned and turn it after it has plenty of time to dry (usually overnight) . It's is truly amazing how beautifully it turns out. My granddaughter turned a georgous burled maple pen blank that cracked when almost finished. We filled the crack and re turned the pen. A year later while visiting at Christmas my grandaughter proudly drew the pen from her crayon box and aksed if I remembered it. I was kind of sad to see how it was being taen care of but thrilled that it looks as good now as when truned over a year ago. fjimp

james.miller · Post by **james.miller** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:15 pm

Applying CAA

I've watched a guy demonstrating pen turning and he put medium CAA on the paper towel then applied it to the wood with the lathe on. I have held the paper towel against the wood with the lathe on and dribbled CAA onto the wood and the friction from the lathe helps it set up. You can put BLO or Tung oil on first to bring out the grain, I have used Tung Oil with good results, the lathe needs to be on so that the friction will heat up the oil. I apply the CAA right after applying the oil.

If you use the thin or instant CAA it can bond to the wood while applying and rip some of the paper towel out of your hand.

For safety I don't use a cloth rag when finishing on a turning lathe, it could snag on the wood or chuck or anything and be ripped out of your hand if you are lucky or pull your hand into the lathe. A paper towel will tear and only a small piece will be stuck to the turning, much safer.

I use white paper towels because they don't look as bad as a piece of blue paper towel stuck to the turning.