: Hello all, I am not into boats but you guys probably can answer my question.
: I am a custom knife maker. I use wood (sometimes) for handles. In the
: knife circles there is a process called wood stabilizing where
: "monomers and resins" are place into a jar with a piece of wood
: (or ivory, antlers, horns) and a vacuum pulled on the jar. This vacuum
: sucks out all of the air and moisture out of the wood and sucks IN the
: monomers and resins (the resins would have to remain liquid until removed
: from the jar). After 24 hours or so, the wood is removed and allowed to
: cure. The result is a piece of wood that is waterproof and very stable and
: strong. The resins completely go through the piece of wood, no wood is
: left untreated. Does anyone here have any idea what "monomers and
: resins" would be used in an application of this type?

Bob, I make bamboo flyrods and was on the rodmakers bulletin board at one time. I remember reading about a guy who impregnated his bamboo rods with the liquid formed from melting/disolving plexiglass in acetone. He also used a vacuum and/or pressure to facilitate the absorbsion. He claimed that the bamboo could be buffed to a nice finish afterwards.

Kurt