Has anybody here used Minwax Wood Hardener successfully for blanks of any kind?
It's 72% acetone and 3% methanol. So not much left to harden the fibers.
https://www.minwax.com/document/MSDS/en/027426417007
Has anybody here used Minwax Wood Hardener successfully for blanks of any kind?
Hmm, and 25% what?
Hmm, and 25% what?
Thanks David,
I am toying with the idea of using something with a vacuum chamber, but not the typical Cactus Juice stuff. I have some bigger pieces (not pen blanks) that won't fit in a conventional toaster oven for curing. Plus, the whole heated curing process looks cumbersome.
Has anybody here used Minwax Wood Hardener successfully for blanks of any kind?
The warm wood does seem to draw in the epoxy so multiple applications are required to fully soak the wood. Maybe this is what you were referring to being cumbersome.
For those of you who have used and thinned the West System epoxy, how long is the set-up time?
From my reading, warmth increases the viscosity of the epoxy, hence it will penetrate better/deeper.
The wood usually has more thermal mass than the epoxy, hence will absorb more heat (from the epoxy), so heating the wood is more effective than heating just the epoxy and not the wood.
Increasing viscosity by adding thinners has similar results, but in addition to heating.
So if you want really deep penetration (like me) then do both.
West has several hardeners with different speeds, but for this you want their 207 Special Clear Hardener. They say it has a pot life of 20-26 min at 70 deg. and cures to a solid state in 10-15 hours. I think it could be less but I usually wait overnight. I'm always doing three things at once so the time doesn't matter much.
Not sure how thinning affects the cure time. I've thinned a little but they don't recommend it because they say it compromises strength and water resistance. Not as much of an issue in non structural applications, but I find I like the results better with the heated wood method.
I checked out the PolyAll 2000 site, and that sets up in in 8 to 10 minutes, which seems a bit short for deeper penetration.
BTW, what I am gearing up to here is filling voids in some spalted cherry 2" X 2" blanks that I want to use for tool handles.
Yes, it does. But with the fairly long cure time spec'd, even cutting it in half gives a pretty long window for penetration.Doesn't the "heated wood method" shorten the curing time, and consequently shorten the time the epoxy has to settle in to the voids?
Have you considered using clear Inlace?
No, I haven't. Isn't that pretty much just another form of epoxy for holding the color granules?
Micheal,
I had inverted the definition of viscosity above. Sorry for the confusion.
However the rest of it stands. Thin epoxy with acetone or alcohol and the “mixture” penetrates the wood. It’s not as if the alcohol separates out, when applied, then sinks in, while the epoxy stays on the surface.
Of course penetration will vary depending on the wood type, condition etc.
Not sure if this would work and its just a thought couldnt you put danish oil in a vac with wood like stabilizing and let it dry, would it stabilize the wood since both active ingredients are lintseed oil and poly and both harden plus the mineral spirits makes it thin so it would penetrate deeper.
In addition to what Doug said, the danish oil wouldn't penetrate very far into the wood if it is still wet. Also, the danish oil would significantly seal the wood and prevent the moisture from escaping.
Correction oh great one, It may be called sealing but finish does not seal the moisture in . Finish slows the exchange of moisture but will not prevent it. This is why wood moves seasonally , moisture exchange.
I am curious on how you know that. I am not saying you are wrong. I just want to understand the evidence. How do you know that thinned epoxy penetrates deeper?
Makes since thank you was curios about it.In addition to what Doug said, the danish oil wouldn't penetrate very far into the wood if it is still wet. Also, the danish oil would significantly seal the wood and prevent the moisture from escaping.