My Sculpture Weblog: Mazer (M2)

Stabilizing wooden is a course of that each strengthens a chunk of wooden, and makes it dimensionally secure in order that it may be utilized in additional precision purposes.

In earlier initiatives, I relied on sourcing stabilized materials from different expert makers. However as my need to make new shapes and varieties grew, I shortly realized I had outgrown the dimensions and shapes of fabric that have been available. I approached a couple of individuals who focus on stabilization with particular requests and was alternately informed that it was not attainable, or not worthwhile, to make stabilized wooden in the dimensions and shapes that I wished.

I may dwell with, “not attainable” if it have been true, however “not worthwhile” seemed like a foolish motive to not do one thing, so I needed to strive it myself to see what was what.

The method is just not terribly difficult and the setup comparatively inexpensive if in case you have a small area to make a multitude. It includes drying the wooden, then inserting it in a vacuum chamber whereas submerged in a particular resin.

Underneath vacuum, a lot of the air and residual moister are pulled from the wooden (you possibly can by no means actually get all of it). After many hours below vacuum, strain is returned to the chamber and the resin is pressured deeper into the wooden by regular atmospheric strain and good previous capillary motion.

After a protracted soak, the wooden is then positioned in an oven the place the resin cures and hardens. The result’s a plasticized piece of wooden that’s good for machining and different fantastic craft work.

It’s a fascinating course of to study, and I’m simplifying only a bit. This work represents my first try at utilizing a chunk of wooden from my very own course of. The wooden you see is a chunk of Maple Burl. It was stabilized as a 7″ spherical and completed down to six”diameter.

The metallic particulars are all in Stainless-steel. I went with a picket bowl kind as a result of I simply love the work of so many wooden turners. However since I’m not fairly a wooden turner myself, I went with a really ornate fashion of bowl referred to as a Mazer. A much more ornamental than practical object for certain. That is what occurs whenever you give a machinist wooden to show I suppose. 

Anyhow, this is step one on my journey in direction of a way more formidable piece. I’ve yet another “small sketch” that I used to be planning, however contemplating how lengthy this primary one took, I may need delay that work for a short while. I’m simply unsure there may be time in my present work circulation. However we’ll see what occurs.

Thanks for wanting, and as all the time, feedback and questions are welcome.