How to work with tree rot

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Hi, I'm turning a burl that has some very rotten spots, really soft wood that compresses and rips out easily. Any suggestions for how to deal with this or some type of resin or fill that works well?

Dawson
 
I'm going to try to avoid the burn option. Surely I can salvage something interesting out of it by using the proper technique!
 
+1 for soak it with CA. I tried the minwax stuff on a piece once. It hardened it but not as hard as CA :thumb:
 
Generally I use the "thin" CA, it really soaks in. You will find that you will be able to turn past the CA glue. That is what is great about the CA and its activator. You can pour it on, spray it with activator and get right back at it! With pens, the only thing I notice, I prefer to use CA then as a finish as it stains/highlights/seals the wood. Since it was needed, I feel the whole thing gets a CA finish, but that is a pen. Your bowl, still might need it to keep it looking "even".
 
For a bowl, you might be looking at a lot of CA. I've used the Minwax wood hardener with mixed results, although the wood that didn't work out with it may have been too far gone for anything to save it.

There is probably a way you could stabilize the wood with plastic resin or melted Plexiglas in a pressure pot, but I'll let some of the guys who've done it chime in on how it would be done on a partially-turned bowl.
 
I used the wife's Pledge Future Shine on some punky areas one day for the heck of it and it worked well......soaked in and hardened up and was able to cut fairly well ..........however, I use CA most all the time but still have some out in the shop and depending on the wood I would use it again......
I have also used 50/50 laquer and laquer thinner also............
 
For a bowl, you might be looking at a lot of CA. I've used the Minwax wood hardener with mixed results, although the wood that didn't work out with it may have been too far gone for anything to save it.

There is probably a way you could stabilize the wood with plastic resin or melted Plexiglas in a pressure pot, but I'll let some of the guys who've done it chime in on how it would be done on a partially-turned bowl.

If it will fit in a pressure pot, it will stabilize (sorta) OK. The stable solution will penetrate the soft areas but may not go all the way through on a larger piece. This would give a finished product with two different wood characteristics. I know, the turned piece could be re-stabilized to get all the way through. Two problems with this method. #1 a burl will discolor the stable solution and that is expensive stuff. #2 it will use up a lot of the stable solution, expensive stuff. Please note, I did not volunteer to do the job free for you as I have with some other small projects for guys here. Reason is, I don't want three gallons of stable solution (did I mention it is expensive stuff?) ruined. :rolleyes:
 
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