I have several large “character” pecan crotch pieces. They exhibit beautiful spalting, splits, included bark, feather grain, bug and worm tracks. All desirable characteristics for a rustic look!
I have a customer who would like one of these crotch pieces made into a table… the type where the irregular shape of the crotch is filled in with resin to make a traditional rectangular table.
I have several concerns…
- Because many of the features of these pieces also make them questionable structurally, does the resin rely on the wood for support or is it the other way around?
- Will 2” thick resin creep, flow or sag over the next several decades?
- What kind of support will a 4’ X 4’ single pedestal table need?
- The air-dried wood has stabilized to the Dallas Texas EMC of about 12%. Its new home would be in a northern Montana “cabin”.
Some craftsmen claim that the “fully encapsulated wood” is very stable and won’t shrink or swell, but some forest service bulletins seem to suggest otherwise, saying that an ideal environment has been created for certain types of fungus and bugs. Other reading says that “fully encapsulated” is a myth… that you can slow down moisture movement but not stop it.
Does anyone here have real-life experience with this?
Thanks!
SG
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