Swirly, Burly Spalted Mango

[Henry H]

This is one of the coolest pieces of wood I've turned... lots of different colors and patterns along with all the dents, dings, and critter holes that a tortured piece of wood like this endures.  Which brings up some input I'd like.  Traditionally, I would have filled these flaws with CA and gone with a CA finish.  But I'm finding I'm attracted to leaving these as-is, since they are part of the character of the wood.  I'm not worried about stability, as this piece has been stabilized.  So, for now anyway, it is simply finish sanded then buffed.  The box elder call I posted yesterday is similar, in that it has knots and flaws left unfilled.  What are your thoughts on this?  Would you let a call like this out of the door?  How would you feel if you received this call with this finish in a trade?  Thanks for your honest feedback!

[R.FINCHUM]

I am partial to wood like that. When I find some, I stabilize and leave it alone. Gorgeous wood.

[ben]

Nice. let it go as is.

ben

[jcz]

How would you feel if you received this call with this finish in a trade?

I'd feel pretty damn good.    Let me know when you are ready for my address. 

[James Strickland]

I'm of the opinion that wood with great character like that needs to be left alone.  I like seeing and feeling the different textures from worm holes etc.  It's those characteristics that make each call truly unique.

[FDR]

Henry: when I work with American Smoke Tree burl I find a lot of open eyes, checks, bark pockets, etc. I usually fill them all! I have even considered casting the blank in resin to fill the voids.  I have seen wood that has been run through the stabilization process multiple time that is completely solid (all imperfections filled).  The first I ever saw were the door handles on a Lockheed building. There process used a radiation source to polymerize the resin.

My  experience goes back to knife making where the buffing compounds get in all the little imperfections and contaminates the final finish.

Beautiful call and piece of wood.

Fred

[mmaloney]

Not a thing wrong with that Call.  I would be jumpin up and down if that showed up at my door. As far as would I let it out the door to a Customer? Depends on how muCh i liked the Customer!

[Henry H]

Thanks for the honest feedback, guys.  Frankly, I thought there would be more pushback againat leavimg these as-is.  Glad to know I'm not alone.

Johnny, we do need to work out a trade sometime!

Fred - how does multiple stabilization work?  I've also thought of casting with clear resin.  I might try to find aomeone good with casting to experiment on a blank for me.

[jcz]

Henry, check out beyond wood products on facebook. They may be able to do what you want. They have some amazing stuff. I've never gotten anything from them. Just drooled over some of the blanks I've seen them post.

https://www.facebook.com/BeyondWoodProducts?ref=br_tf

BTW, I'm game when ever you are. Just let me know.

[David @ Mad Duck Game Calls]

I've been talking to the guy that owns Beyond Wood Products, They sell 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 blanks with an 8in max length. If you look up Salt Spray Game Calls on here he is their call blank distributor and has a picture of one of their blanks turned into a call.

[Henry H]

Thanks, Johnny and David... pretty stuff on tbeir page for sure!

[FDR]

Henry: here is what I think I know:  I have worked with call and knife handle blanks that are almost completely plasticized. The process to produce those blanks is slightly different from what we call makers are being  told/sold as stabilizing.  The process I am somewhat familiar with is used to produce synthetic  gem materials.  The gem material is crushed and placed in a mould. The material is covered in resin, placed in a vacuum/pressure chamber, a vacuum is pulled to get the air out of the mixture. Once the air is removed pressure is applied and all the voids are filled. Then heat is used to cure the produce. Finally the product is cut into blanks and sold.  The green band on this call is synthetic a gem material called "Tru Stone" which is a produce of the process I described. These materials can have micro voids so a good sealer is often applied before final finishing.


I have come to believe that the stabilizing of wood does not fill voids because of the process used. Resin is expensive and a minimum is used in the process we are getting. The processors just saturate the wood fibers with resin and call it good.  I recently bought a set of knife handle blanks that were claimed to have been run multiple time through the Turn Tex process and they will ring when struck on my vise. No voids and almost completely plasticized.

Fred

[Henry H]

Thanks, Fred.  And that call is a looker!!