Stabilizing Wood With 3 Part Epoxy

[Wyatt Holm]

Hello,
I have learned a new way to stabilize spalted, punky, or wood with shakes. I use 3 part epoxy. The third part being denatured alcohol solvent. I normally just smear it on, but you could probably soak it in the solution if you made it runny enough.
Wyatt

 

[odie]

Hi there Wyatt.......

Do you use the epoxy just prior to sanding, or do you use cutting tools on the epoxied surface? I would imagine cutting tools could be used.....if you can get it deep enough into the wood to accommodate.

The purpose of the alcohol is to what?.....make the epoxy a higher viscosity?....drying?

I'm assuming you're using a clear, or almost clear epoxy. What kind of finish are you using? How well does the epoxy blend in.....or, how is it effected by the finish?

interesting

I'm currently using the "insta-bond" for this purpose.......

otis of cologne

 

[Wyatt Holm]

The purpose for the alcohol is to make the the epoxy thinner, so that it will penetrate deeper into the wood. I have not yet put a finish on anything I have used this treatment with. I do use tools on the epoxied surface to clean it up.
Wyatt

 

[Gil Jones]

Your epoxy thinning idea does work well for compromised wood. I have not tried the DNA as a thinner, but in the past I have used lacquer thinner to thin West System epoxy for stabilizing some punky Oak burl, and it works well. I thinned it down to the consistency of heavy cream (a bit thicker than 1/2 and 1/2). Next, put the burl into a heavy-duty plastic bag, and pour in the thinned epoxy. When the burl soaked up all it could, just leave enough epoxy in there to keep the burl fully saturated, and poured out the rest (I use leftover epoxy to level out dings, drill holes, cuts, and dents in my workbench and tablesaw extension table). Put the bagged burl into a steel bucket to cure overnight in case the bag leaks, and also in case the curing epoxy gets hot enough to melt the bag (or worse). It turned out OK, with no leaks, and just pealed off the plastic bag the next day. No more punky wood!
[FONT=&quot]I will try the DNA as a thinner next time…thank you.[/FONT]