A few weeks ago, I found a naturally bent stick ( "7" shaped) about 1 1/4" in diameter that would make a great walking stick. It is very light weight and I want to impregnate it with some kind of hardener.
IN making pens, we often put pen blanks in liquid hardener in pressure pots and pull a vacuum to pull the air out and make the hardener go into the wood when the vacuum is released. Of course I do not have a pot big enough to do that with a walking stick. What is the best way to harden wood? How deep can I get the hardener into the wood?
I went with some of my grandkids over July 4th to the Mississippi River park near us and found the naturally formed handle/walking stick. Like most drift wood, it was light weight. Long time soaking in water must do that. Not sure what kind of wood it is but it has the consistency of cotton wood, except I can't see any annular ring grain. More like a vine with a handle. It looks like a "7".
I have cut it off to the right length for walking (for me) and it will hold my weight if I lean on it, but it is very weight.
I thought about getting it hot and then soaking it in polyurethane (oil based) but I don't know how deep it will soak into the wood. I most certainly don't have enough CA to do that. Epoxy would be too difficult to spread evenly. Would pure Tung oil soak in deeply? I know it takes a week or so for one good coat to cure, but I don't know if it will add strength.
Any ideas?
IN making pens, we often put pen blanks in liquid hardener in pressure pots and pull a vacuum to pull the air out and make the hardener go into the wood when the vacuum is released. Of course I do not have a pot big enough to do that with a walking stick. What is the best way to harden wood? How deep can I get the hardener into the wood?
I went with some of my grandkids over July 4th to the Mississippi River park near us and found the naturally formed handle/walking stick. Like most drift wood, it was light weight. Long time soaking in water must do that. Not sure what kind of wood it is but it has the consistency of cotton wood, except I can't see any annular ring grain. More like a vine with a handle. It looks like a "7".
I have cut it off to the right length for walking (for me) and it will hold my weight if I lean on it, but it is very weight.
I thought about getting it hot and then soaking it in polyurethane (oil based) but I don't know how deep it will soak into the wood. I most certainly don't have enough CA to do that. Epoxy would be too difficult to spread evenly. Would pure Tung oil soak in deeply? I know it takes a week or so for one good coat to cure, but I don't know if it will add strength.
Any ideas?
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