Just a novice turner, having trouble with deep bowl

[robert baccus]

For heavily spalted wood(usually the prettiest) try this. Mix clear epoxy or FG resin with acetone to an almost watery viscosity. Pour in an appropiate amount along with your roughed out piece, into a black vinyl bag. Play shake and bake several times over several hours and leave overnite. Looks like hell at first--turn off the exterior and you will find all soft wood hardened to like new wood--little penetration on firm --who needs that! Works even on large bowls and vases. If you cut through the hardened wood just spot treat and finish out. Does not change the wood color like many expensive commercial products do. Very inexpensive also. Have done dozens of super-soft pieces like this. Old Forester

[Grant Wilkinson]

If I understood your last post, your tool is over hanging the rest by 6" when you are at the bottom of the piece. That will definitely cause chatter and problems getting a good finish, even in good wood.

[Stark Suggs]

Robert, Ive been researching this same thing...you posted this information before, and as a matter of fact yesterday I was reading it over again. Very interesting technique, and I'd really like to give it a shot...a couple of questions please Sir if you don't mind. After some recent equipment purchases for the shop I've become pretty cheap. So where might one find the clear epoxy or FG Resin at a decent price? Presuming it's more expensive, cactus juice at $50/gallon is not an option at this time....but I do hear it works well, and can be reused. Re the black vinyl bags? Was unable to locate on the internet anything along those lines. The only thing that looks like something that would hold up to the acetone would be LDPE (low density polyethylene)...so, I've spent quite a bit of time on the internet and came away empty handed.

In the past I've used 1:4 thinned lacquer, dewaxed blonde shellac 2# cut and variations of CA glue as John mentioned in this thread.....all produced "so-so" results...So, maybe there is something that might work better? Thanks for the post.

SWS