stabilizing red oak

[pierhogunn]

given that red oak is very open, is it possible to saturate the oak with a very thin epoxy, or some way to draw a thinned epoxy into it?

the application I have in mind is to use this to build joints for my flag poles out of it

come to mind that this is really more than one question

the second part would be how would you thin epoxy?

thin the resin with naptha, or methanol, or something else, then add the catalyst, or mix both resin and catalyst, and then thin...

[cabinetman]

I don't know if this will answer your question, but I wouldn't use Red oak for exterior applications. There's many other species that are more suited for outside. If your intention is for use indoors, what is your reason for filling interior pores?
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[Uncle Cracker]

You could use a wood stabilizer like Pentacryl (available at Woodcraft, for one), or I might suggest that you soak the plugs with thin-bodied CA glue.

[pierhogunn]

just trying to figure out a way to take commonly available materials and mitigate their swelling in response to moisture

the tolerances on the dowel - aluminum tubing interface are necessarily very tight, and with just a little bit of swelling, the poplar is just too large to get in. if there is any slop in the joint the flag pole wobbles

[thrytis]

You can buy thin epoxies designed to absorb into wood. Take a look at PC-Rot Terminator or PC-Petrifier. It is made for restoring rotted wood, but it is thinner than regular epoxy so it'll probably absorb some into good wood.

[Russianwolf]

You could use a wood stabilizer like Pentacryl (available at Woodcraft, for one), or I might suggest that you soak the plugs with thin-bodied CA glue.

That's not a wood stabilizer (despite their ads) it's a drying retarder to prevent checking.

The easiest way to stabilize wood is to make a thin solution of plexiglass using acetone. Yep the acetone will melt the plexiglass. Then soak the wood in this for a good bit of time. Take it out and let it dry. You can't put this mix under vacume pressure as it will start to boil. This is a technique used by some to stabilize pen blanks.

The other method would be to send it to a commercial stabilizing business and let them do it. More effective, but more costly.

Once done, the wood will not be affected by water at all, but sunlight may be an issue still. We don't usually make pens to sit in the sun.

[JimD]

Why not just put some poly on it? If you want it to soak in good, thin the poly.

White oak is better for exterior applications because the pores do not go all the way through like they do on red (that is why barrells are white oak).

Jim

[pierhogunn]

can I soak red oak in 2 parts naptha to 1 part poly and just let it soak? or poplar for that matter?

and would I be better served in my plans to go ahead and drill out the center of the dowel to accomdate the shock cord that will be running through it so that I have more surface area for the pole to soak into the dowel?

[Russianwolf]

not sure about the naptha/poly mix

drilling out the center will definitley help as is will not need to penetrate as deeply.

[pelligrini]

You might try soaking a drilled one in some of the wipe-on poly, cut it and see what kind of penetration you get. Dry it well and try the fit after wetting it.

[Uncle Cracker]

That's not a wood stabilizer (despite their ads) it's a drying retarder to prevent checking.

Not my first choice for turning blanks, but still should work for what he's doing...

[SARGE..g-47]

I would have to agree with Cab that red oak would not be a choice for me personally outside. I love it and build a lot of things from it.. but it has a bad track record for rot. White oak is a different story in this case as whiskey barrels that stay wet forever are made from it.

I do have a Doug Fir flag-pole out front that has been there about 12 years. Three coated with Marine poly (which never really drys) and it is holding up well. I do re-coat it about every 4 years when I re-stain my house.

Good luck with what-ever you use...

[Black wallnut]

Back when I worked in the farm chemical industry I worked with epoxy paint. You can buy an epoxy thinner. Check the label on yur brand of epoxy for a consumer question line. You might give them a call and ask if their product can be thinned. Like others I'd avoid red oak if possible but if you could get your epoxy to thin and penetrate it may work.

Bamboo might be a better material if you can find it. A bonus is it is already hollow.

[LCHIEN]

well, if this is a business, you know that using the worng material and then doing all kinds of rework to make it usable is going to cut heavily into your profits. especially if it requires experimentation (=trail and error/waste and then do it again).

But I'm sure you know that.