Acetylated Wood

[Flyfisher]

Sounds too good to be true: http://www.accoya.com/acetylated-wood/

Is it just me who had not heard about this before someone pointed it out to me today?

Any experiences of period usage out there?

 

[worms]

I can't find the relevant thread, but I am pretty sure there was something on here about it before. Wherever I read this, consensus was too good to be true, must be some down-side but no actual experience imparted.

 

[Me!]

I think there have been a few discussions about it on this forum over the years, like this one for example.
Now we just need someone to try it and to report back in 50 years time about how good or bad it is

 

[88v8]

Good heavens. Many formerly regular forumers who've forsaken us.

Ivor

 

[Penners]

Many thanks for that, FF - extremely interesting. I had never heard of the process, but then I've been retired from the wood furniture industry for over 12 years. Did you find/watch this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZM2njWxgxM

If, as claimed, the process genuinely gives weather-exposed softwood a guaranteed life of 50 years above ground and 25 years below, that's quite an achievement. It also appears to be massively less toxic than more conventional pressure treatment. I wonder how it compares in price with, say, Tanalised timber.

 

[wobs]

Used it for our front door.

Had it made last year, and got it fitted January this year. So far, no problem.

Not too worried about rot, as the door is set into a porch, so won't get much moisture, but there's been no real expansion or shrinkage yet (touch wood).

What I will say though is that the mouldings were a bit rough, although this may have been the joiner rather than the wood. I imagine a hardwood would have been smoother.

Sanding and multiple coats of paint later, and it looks good though.

 

[Penners]

What I will say though is that the mouldings were a bit rough, although this may have been the joiner rather than the wood. I imagine a hardwood would have been smoother.

Moulding timber is a whole science in itself. Different timbers - hard and soft - require different cutter angles for the cleanest possible cut, and hardwood doesn't necessarily mould better than softwood - it all depends on the timber species.

Softwood used to be best moulded with high speed steel cutters, which could be honed to a razor-sharp edge. However, because some of the types of cutter block that held HSS cutters have now been outlawed, and because HSS requires more frequent honing, most mills now use tungsten carbide tipped cutters. These hold an edge for longer than HSS but the edge is inferior, so you tend to get a rougher finish.