stabalizing spalted maple drop top

[scuffle]

g'day everyone!

I'm wanting to do a spalted maple top on my next electric build. Last time i used it i tried stabalizing it using very thin super glue. It seemed to work for the small thin peices I was using but I don't feel like it would work for a 7mm think drop top.
I've heard of people using things like danish oil to harden it because it soaks in well and dries rock hard (apparently) Would i be able to to a laquer finish over the top or oil??
Does anyone have a method of stabalizing the spalt that has worked well?

As always all help is appreciated

[Nick]

I know on quite knarly table tops they use resin and I'm guessing that forcing/running an epoxy into the wood from both sides would work just as well on a 7mm drop top? Just one possible thought I'd try.
If you wanted to try the Danish oil thing you should be able to lacquer over the top, but give the Danish Oil plenty of drying time!

[demonx]

I'm doing two spalt top guitars at the moment. Tops are thicker than yours and I rubbed epoxy into them. They will soak it up, just repeat and repeat.

[scuffle]

thanks guys!

Is there a certain type of epoxy your using Allan? also are you doing light coats or are you drowning it?
and if i use epoxy for stabalizing i would have to use epoxy for gluing the two halves together yes?

[demonx]

I laminated the top to the the back before rubbing the west systems epoxy into the spalt.

Many people use West Systems for their glue ups. I will be using it to glue two Cocobolo fingerboards that are on current builds.

This is the Spalt I'm talking about before epoxy. I'm yet to take an after pic. It's Spalted Sassafrass, however the same techniques apply to spalted maple.

[scuffle]

okay. i was under the impression I should stabalize it before i did any machining on it (edge jointing etc.)
West systems epoxy it is then

Thanks for all the help guys!

[demonx]

Definitely yes to stabilizing, otherwise it'll just rip out or crumble.

I drum sanded these pieces - there is NO WAY I'd consider running them through a thicknesser.

[demonx]

Here is the same piece after epoxy.

Notice I haven't gone over the entire piece, just the spalt areas. It sucked it up like a thirsty animal, I just kept pouring more on and rubbing it in, repeating and repeating until I have a film over the spalt. After a couple days it was ready to run over the jointer to plane the body surface. (I had epoxied this inner surface as well. Lucky for me the spalt wasn't heavy in that area and I encountered zero tearing or failing of the timber when passing ir over the jointer.

Good luck and I hope it all works out. Post pics!

[scuffle]

cheers for all the help Allan. Looks like im off to buy some epoxy before I start anything and find someone with a drum sander...

[demonx]

I know you're 3hrs drive away, but if you get stuck and can't find anyone closer I have a couple drum sanders here you could throw it through.

[scuffle]

I may take you up on that! I would come for a 3 hour drive just to see your setup
I drove to Sydney once for a tree I wanted...

[demonx]

It's just a shed with a dirty floor. Nothing special, but like I said, you're welcome to drop by if you can't find anyone closer.

Cheers

[Mark McLean]

I have done small and fairly thin pieces of spatled wood (e.g. for rosettes) with CA glue and been happy with the result. In researching that I came across methods using resins applied under vacuum to extract all the air that is trapped in the wood and get the resin to fully infiltrate. Seems like heat curing the resin is then the way to get it set inside a thick piece of timber.
Some people here seem to know what they are talking about:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread. ... pregnating
and if you google spalted+resin+vacuum you will find quite a bit. Sounds great for people who want to stabilize a small piece (like a pen blank) and then turn it on a small lathe. I am not sure how you would set up a vacuum system for a piece as big as a guitar top - but where there is a will there is a way.

[demonx]

Vacuum setups for guitars is actually very common practice for guys using veneers on tops. I don't use veneers so I've never had the need to own a vacuum setup

[jjh]

Don't know about this stuff but a mate used it on spalted knife handles, it soaks in as it's quite thin then he finished with epoxy.

http://cuprinol.trade-decorating.co.uk/ ... rdener.jsp