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Montery Pinecone Vase - Fall 2006

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paulhurm

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I was very intrigued by the "By Nature" items shown on the rear cover of the Fall 2006 issue!

I visited my in-laws over the weekend and brought home a few very green pinecones and turned one or two just to see what would happen and what was inside. My results were as expected - interesting patterns inside but "fly apart" consistency.

Can anyone give me some thoughts on how to experiment with "stabilizing" a pinecone like this? The ones I brought back are still very tight and I doubt much of anything would soak in. Any thoughts on letting them open slightly then perhaps filling with clear resin like what is used to embed items?

I assume Michael Shuler is pretty secretive about his techniques but does anyone have any guesses as to what he does?
 
My first thought would be to try something like a penetrating epoxy like one West Systems makes, or a marine product called Git Rot. They are intended to sink deeply in to the wood. In the case of git rot the idea is to stabilize and strengthen rotted wood and avoid having to replace it, often a pain on a boat.

now Monterey Pine Cones are really dense when fully closed if I remember right. Any chance of allowing them to open a touch? That would facilitate the epoxy getting in?

Barring that, I might rough turn them (but nearly to finished thickness) without the epoxy, then epoxy them, then finish turning them. That way the epoxy has a chance of saturating the layers you are working on last.

Hope this helps.

Dave
 
david, i have used the two part stuff used to pour on tables for a hi gloss finish as amedium to turn vases impregnated with sawdust and small limb cross sections. you need a cone that is open .put the cone in a plastic container slightly larger than the cone. pour the stuff to completelt cover the cone.after it hardens,attach a waste block and turn away.do not turn toofast or you will melt rather than cut..you can buy pour on finish at stores like michaels or order from klockit..have fun ..start with a SMALL cone..
 
Often pine cones will open as they dry. If it doesn't open, I'd try drilling out the core and filling it from the inside with epoxy.

Either way, I'd recommend epoxy (slow cure stuff) for embedding. With a little heating or vacuum or both, you should be able to convince it to penetrate all of the nooks and crannies.

I'd avoid the craft-type catalyzed polyester resins -- they usually shrink when they cure and they don't bond well to other objects. They are OK for embedding small items (if you follow the directions), but big objects might either crush the object or cause the resin to crack as it shrinks.
 
One thing that will help alot with resin treating various objects is to vacuum impregnate them. Get a 5 gallon metal paint can and a strong shop vac. Submerse the object in a paper container with the epoxy. Place in this container and them connect the vacuum to it. This is easiest done by just drilling/reaming a hole in the lid and putting a rubber gasket in it. Turn the vacuum on and off at approx one minute intervals 5 or 6 times then leave it till the epoxy sets. What this does is suck air out of the piece through a pressure differential each time you turn the vacuum on and let the epoxy in to replace it each time you turn it off.

Cool trick, eh?

The other thing to watch out for is quick set epoxy. Epoxy heats as it sets. It sets quicker when it is hot. Which, of course, makes it heat even faster. And, consequetially, makes it set faster. Put a large quantity together and watch it boil and catch on fire. See Dick's shop get spattered with boiling/burning epoxy. Panic, Dick, Panic!!

Not to mention hot epoxy boiling the water in the pine cone/artichoke/tomato/pot roast/whatever else you're plasticizing into turning stock.

For anything bigger than relatively small, use the slow set and a cool shop.

Have fun,
Dietrich
 
There is a product from the Rot Doctor called CPES. (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer). It is a 2 part epoxy very thin and very slow cuering it is used to repair rotted wood. I used it on my window sills and it penitated realy well.

Here is a link to their test results I have some left and am going to try it on some spalted stuff. I think it would work for pine cones too.

http://www.rotdoctor.com/test/penetration.html
 
dkulze said:
The other thing to watch out for is quick set epoxy. Epoxy heats as it sets. It sets quicker when it is hot. Which, of course, makes it heat even faster. And, consequetially, makes it set faster. Put a large quantity together and watch it boil and catch on fire. See Dick's shop get spattered with boiling/burning epoxy. Panic, Dick, Panic!!
Click to expand...
The trick here is slower setting epoxy (or any of that type, resin, etc) generates less heat. The slower the cure time, the less heat generated.
 
You got it in one, Steve. And that slow cure, high wick epoxy Myrel mentioned would be bout perfect.

Dietrich
 
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