New wood = Grips

[JPGLSG]

Mag41 has been helping with some new grips on one of my six shooter. I Found this piece of maple on the ebay and Jim made a cut through it today. This will be a different look on a stainless gun. Looking forward to his finished product.

Look what I got a photo of today asking which medallion I liked best.

 

[Bob Wright]

That's maple?


Bob Wright

 

[loaded round]

All I can say is WOW!

 

[contender]

Talk about serious burl & such! Wow! I hope that wood was already stabilized! Those are going to look very interesting!

 

[JPGLSG]

That's maple?


Bob Wright

Yeap it is, this guy has some strange looking blanks of maple from time to time, take a look.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stabilized-maple-burl-exotic-wood-knife-scale-inlay-pistol-grip-bottle-stop-/221807915003?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33a4c82ffb

 

[JPGLSG]

Talk about serious burl & such! Wow! I hope that wood was already stabilized! Those are going to look very interesting!

Ty most everything he sell is stabilized, I think he does it himself after he finds the green wood. I'm not completely sure but I think 41Mag can stabilize blanks as well, but I think it is just easier to buy it ready to go when you can find what you are looking for.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stabilized-maple-burl-exotic-wood-knife-scale-inlay-pistol-grip-bottle-stop-/221807915003?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33a4c82ffb

 

[speedsixman]

Wow !
That is some wild lookin' wood.

Please put up pics of the grips when they are done.

Myron

 

[Chief 101]

I think dyes are added to the stabilizing resins to turn these great lookin blanks to bring out grain patterns...quite extroardinary

 

[mohavesam]

Nice. Too bad about the paypal-only scheme, though.

 

[GunnyGene]

Nice. Too bad about the paypal-only scheme, though.

That is some good looking burl. You're not stuck with ebay tho. Burl of various species is available at specialty wood suppliers. Here's a link to find one near you: http://woodfinder.com/

 

[Bob Wright]

That looks like something that might have come from a returning spacecraft!

Bob Wright

 

[Chief 101]

"stabilized" wood is dried wood vacuum bagged with thinned resin to replace any air with plastic...

 

[GunnyGene]

Talk about serious burl & such! Wow! I hope that wood was already stabilized! Those are going to look very interesting!

His postings indicate that he uses an 'acrylic resin mix' to stabilize the wood.

How's that work?

I thought stabilization was a function of time and management of humidity.

Nope, that's just drying the wood according to a specific schedule, which varies with the species, how it's cut and stacked, local atmospheric conditions, and other factors. A lot of damage can result if wood is improperly dried, besides the common cracking/checking.

Stabilization is replacing the remaining moisture in the wood cells with his resin mix or other formulas/chemicals, and involves immersing the wood in the mix in a sealed container and applying a vacuum for several hours to a couple days, depending on the density of the wood. The vacuum draws any air/moisture out of the wood and allows the mix to penetrate. The wood is usually dried per normal air drying procedures to around 15-20%% mc before stabilizing. The drying process is critical to obtaining crack free wood for stabilization or other uses.

 

[GunnyGene]

Thanks to you and Chief 101 for the info.

I learned something new.

You're welcome. Btw, burl is probably the most difficult cut to dry, due to the erratic grain patterns. Which is one reason it's so expensive.

 

[pete44ru]

.

Nice looking wood - it looks like he might have started with some Spalted Maple, before he died/stabilized it.

I have a handmade sheath knife with Spalted Maple scales that look much the same, except for the coloration (my scales are a dark blonde shade).

.

 

[GunnyGene]

Thanks to you and Chief 101 for the info.

I learned something new.

You're welcome. Btw, burl is probably the most difficult cut to dry, due to the erratic grain patterns. Which is one reason it's so expensive.

Isn't burl typically more dense also? I would think that would also effect acrylic absorption.

I used to travel globally for business, and watched a lot of coworkers bring home wood souvenirs (plaques, curios, furniture, etc.), only to hear them report how they warped, cracked, or split wide open when they got them home. I think proper drying is critical, before you begin any other process.

It can be somewhat more compact (as opposed to density) than the surrounding wood due to the way it grows.

Wood is very sensitive to climate and even local weather conditions. I've made hygrometers out of a plank of pine that will indicate a change in humidity over a few hours. This behavior of wood is a serious issue when moving a piece of furniture from a humid climate such as MS to say AZ or vice versa or even in the same locale between seasons.

This is why various forms of joinery and construction have been developed over the past few thousand years, and why nails, staples, and screws are the worst form of joining wood. The wood will move and there is no way to totally prevent it, so craftsmen have learned how to compensate thru ingenious joinery and cutting techniques that direct the movement in ways that will not tear the item apart. This is also how to tell the difference between a piece of furniture made by a master craftsman that will last for generations, and one that is mass produced and won't last 10 years.

In the case of your plaques, etc. that you mention, the best way to minimize this problem is to seal the item up in a airtight bag, and allow it to acclimate slowly (at least several weeks) to the new location. Throwing it in a suitcase in the hold of an airliner is the worst possible way to transport such things.

 

[JPGLSG]

.......

 

[hesco]

Nice wood any idea what part of the tree it came from, roots maybe?

 

[JPGLSG]

Nice wood any idea what part of the tree it came from, roots maybe?

Or some big old ugly knurly knot sticking out of the trunk somewhere.