stabilizing scales

[Butts2]

I read of "one way" of stabilizing where you put scales in a jar of hardener then in a can of hot water keep adding to the water until the hardener bubbles its so hot. Is this the only way? Can you reuse the hardener?

[beaver#1]

i dont know but i would like to. lets see if any one else knows.

[RGK]

You can also use your vacuum sealer it it has a jar lid attachment.

[Bodork]

I tried it pretty much just like that and it seemed to work pretty good. I put the lid on tight and let it cool to create a vacuum. I was really surprised how much hardner got soaked up. I probably should have had another can of it handy. I haven't used the scales yet, but I'm sure that between the hardner and the finish I apply they will be good to go. Mike

[Toecutter]

What RGK said.  B72 acryloid, acetone and minwax wood hardener. Big industrial type vaccum pump with your jar attachment will even be a little better.  
Good luck,
Nathan

[OconeeDan]

Actually, the opposite.  you want to put them in a pressure vessel, not vacuum.  
Put in container with air valve, put some air to it, and leave it.  The pressure around the wood will be higher than the ambient pressure inside the wood, it will try to equalize.  And force the epoxy/whatever you are using into the wood.
Think about it...pressure treated wood, they use pressure to get the chemicals inside.
Dan

[Don Stokes]

To get the maximum liquid inside wood, pull a vacuum, introduce the liquid while holding the vacuum, release the vacuum and add pressure. That's the way wood is pressure-treated with waterborne chemicals. Most of the absorption takes place when the vacuum is released, so the addition of pressure is probably unnecessary for this purpose. Let the wood rest for a while to let the pressures equalize, or put it under another vacuum to pull off the excess liquid.

I've worked in wood preserving off and on for more than 30 years. Just last week I did a consulting job for a wood preserving plant. No charge for this advice.    

[Ray Hammond]

Don,
Aren't you the same Don Stokes that developed Super Cedar poplar shafts?

[OconeeDan]

Don, you are dead on the money.  I used to work on autoclaves, sterilizers that sterilized surgical instruments with steam.  
Several cycles of pressure, then vacuum, then pressure, got the steam deep in the pack of instruments where it needs to be.

It is hard for the common knife maker (US) to use alternating pressure and vacuum.

So, choosing between pressure and vacuum, which would you choose?

The final cycle in the autoclave is long period of pressure, that is why I believe that is best.

Good post, and my answer may not be all correct.  Dan