Turning Green Punky Wood

[jcredding]

Still rough turning pieces of a silver maple tree and a couple really nice pieces have decent size soft spots. I’d like to harden them and leave them in the wood, but may have to cut them out and fill with something. I’ve never had this happen in anything bigger than a spalted pen blank, and it seems like the amount of CA glue required would be meaningful.

Thanks for any thoughts.

John

[NCPaladin]

Since you are just rough turning now I would wait until dry enough for the final turning to address the problem.
I find this just as good (or better) than the Minwax at 2X the price.
You may still need to do some filling on the final turning depending on the wood.
www.amazon.com/Products-164440-PC-Petrifier-Water-Based-Hardener/dp/B00081FW1I/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1527543838&sr=8-6&keywords=PC%2BProducts&th=1

If you save some of your shavings you can grind them up as fill so at least the color with match.

[MichaelMouse]

Still rough turning pieces of a silver maple tree and a couple really nice pieces have decent size soft spots.  I’d like to harden them and leave them in the wood, but may have to cut them out and fill with something.  I’ve never had this happen in anything bigger than a spalted pen blank, and it seems like the amount of CA glue required would be meaningful.

Thanks for any thoughts.

John

Punky as in white, delignified?  Means it's really prone to peck out if the tools are not properly presented.  When roughing, not that big of a problem, when turning to finish thickness, you might want to re-glue the fibers with 2# or better shellac periodically.  Lignin is what holds the wood together when it's good, after all.  CA may be used to glue as well, but you'll have to remember to tooth it if you're applying a surface finish, or live with a slick streak if you want just a soft oil.  

Sanding can dish the softer stuff, so exercise good sense and either back your paper when hand sanding with something that bridges the soft area and grounds on good wood on both sides, or power sand with part of the paper grounded to sound wood at all times.  Sort of sanding around, not on, the white stuff.  I beat the game by sanding with the sanding mandrel anchored to the rest, allowing the wood to come to the grit rather than pressing the grit into the wood.  Good method altogether, no matter if the wood is all sound.  

You can use the accent of the white in a pretty piece if you're careful. 

   

That said, there are some pieces which should not be turned at all.  

   

[Arlin Eastman]

Since you are just rough turning now I would wait until dry enough for the final turning to address the problem.
I find this just as good (or better) than the Minwax at 2X the price.
You may still need to do some filling on the final turning depending on the wood.
www.amazon.com/Products-164440-PC-Petrifier-Water-Based-Hardener/dp/B00081FW1I/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1527543838&sr=8-6&keywords=PC%2BProducts&th=1

If you save some of your shavings you can grind them up as fill so at least the color with match.

+1

You can buy it at Menards and Home Depot or Ace to.

[jcredding]

Thanks MM - that second picture is far worse than what I’m dealing with but is certainly the right idea. My largest area is about 2” long and 1” tall, and it’s sporadic around the piece with a lot of solid wood around the soft spots. The piece has great color and movement, so I have to find a way to make it work. If all else fails, I’ll cut it out and fill it with something, but would prefer to not do that, so really appreciate the shellac idea.