What type of resin

[petebigmatch]

What I would like to ask you all is what type of resin should you use
When combining wood with resin,
I have a banksia nut (from australia) and want to fill the holes with 
resin to create some mode , but which resin is best suited
Epoxy,polyurethane ,alamilite,just don't know which would be best 
Any imput will be appreciated 
Many thanks 
Pete

[denis9t9]

Aug 30, 2013 5:06:09 GMT petebigmatch said:

What I would like to ask you all is what type of resin should you use
When combining wood with resin,
I have a banksia nut (from australia) and want to fill the holes with 
resin to create some mode , but which resin is best suited
Epoxy,polyurethane ,alamilite,just don't know which would be best 
Any imput will be appreciated 
Many thanks 
Pete

You got me there petebigmatch,
the title got me all excited

[Bluefish]

I'm with denis lol

[raid2506]

Polyurethane is most commonly used with wood for sealing, filling and finishing but is not mechanically or thermally sound.

It really depends on whether you want to use it for bonding anything structural or to be able to drill it afterward?

My best suggestion would be to seek the info you require on some Australian woodworking forums where they will have the local knowledge.

[petebigmatch]

yes good idea
I will want to drill ,router, and cut and sand when
the blank is made
like they do when they make pen turning blanks
with wood and resin
sorry for the few who go a bit excited when reading
the title, I see what you meen now

cheers pete

[Deleted]

Banksia nuts are a pain to work. I played about turning a small vase and a light cord pull handle from a few we got donated. Best way I found was to rough work them as close as poss' to finished size, then soak for several days in varnish (think it was ronseal hardglaze I used). Dried them for a week then machined to nearly finished. I wanted a flush surface so mixed some spirit stain into a batch of car body filler and forced it into the voids. Once hard, final cuts and finish.
PEG (polyethylene glycol wax) will also work as long as you're not planning on using filler. Hope this helps.

[petebigmatch]

I have never worked with the banksia nut before,I have had it on linisher ( large flat belt sander )
and it seems quite hard / tough .
My plan is to make some blanks with the resin filling all the voids in a bright aqua blue colour
then start to machine it using various router cutters and a pillar drill.
I think the resin will be Alumilite clear cast with some pigments and pearlex powder
( still need to read up on this product to be sure first)
Cheers anyway Chris
Pete

[Wobblybootie]

Pete, I have turned a fair few of them over the years. If you get it right they can be stunning.

I use link for my clear pen blanks ... Just mix pigments and pour. The company are very helpful.

Watch out for the tiny fibres within the nut, they get everywhere and can cause quite nasty eye and/or throat problems. DAMHIKT !!!

[melitahams]

If it was me I will go to West System I use this type most of the time on boats,as glue and as a filler,it's very hard I can guarantee you that. You can use it as well as a filler if you add it the desired filler of if you like to keep the same shade of your wood just add it some fine dust by sanding some piece of the desired wood you w ill use. Just go here and take a look www.westsystem.com/ss/