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 tasks, I relied on sourcing stabilized materials from different expert makers. However as my want to make new shapes and kinds grew, I rapidly realized I had outgrown the configurations and dimensions of fabric that had been available. I approached a number of individuals who specialise in stabilization with particular requests and was alternately advised that it was not potential, or not worthwhile, to make stabilized wooden in the configurations and dimensions that I needed.

I might dwell with, “not potential” if it had been true, however “not worthwhile” gave the impression of a foolish cause to not do one thing, so I needed to strive it myself to see what was what.

The method just isn’t terribly difficult and the setup comparatively reasonably priced in case you have a small area to make a large number. It includes drying the wooden, then inserting it in a vacuum chamber whereas submerged in a particular resin.

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is returned to the chamber and the resin is pressured deeper into the wooden by regular atmospheric stress and good outdated capillary motion.

After an extended 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 excellent for machining and different tremendous craft work.

It’s a fascinating course of to be taught, 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 steel particulars are all in Stainless-steel. I went with a wood 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 type of bowl known as a Mazer. A much more ornamental than practical object for positive. That is what occurs once you give a machinist wooden to show I suppose. 

Anyhow, this is step one on my journey in direction of a way more bold piece. I’ve yet one more “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 undecided there’s time in my present work circulate. However we’ll see what occurs.

Thanks for trying, and as at all times, feedback and questions are welcome.