Stabilize particle board?

[Axtman]

I recently picked up a broken 1980's Peavey Mark III bass amp head at a swap meet for $15!

I repaired the electronics and now need to repair the cabinet. It looks like the cabinet sat in a wet basement. I could not reglue the tolex because the particle board kept flaking off. I stripped off the tolex and have sanded down the cabinet. I would like to "stabilize" the particle board to reduce further crumbling. My thought is to paint the whole cabinet with a watered down carpenters glue. After the glue solution has dried I will sand and roll on truck bed liner or recover with new tolex.

Will watered down glue work?

[Jazz P Bass]

The water base may make things worse.

I would try sealing it with polyurethane.

[Axtman]

Yeah you are right. Water will make the wood swell.

[John_H]

I would seal it with shellac. Unlike some poly's, anything will bond to it. Buy a quart, and brush it on. I use the Kilz solvent base for pigmented, and Zinsser for clear.

[Chuck H]

Something to keep in mind is that particle board is already full of glues and plastics, etc. Obviously water can penetrate it but you do want to put something on there that will soak in and actually harden the now fragile matrix. I haven't tried the Minwax Wood Hardener but I look at it all the time when I shop for painting supplies. I like Minwax products. I'm keeping this one in mind for when such a circumstance arises. This may be one. It's designed to soak into rotten wood and harden it so that it can be worked without crumbling. Seems like just the right stuff. Available at most hardware stores.

[Bloomfield]

Good call on the shellac, it is an excellent barrier coat between finishes. If the crumbling is really bad you could try squegeeing some thinned down epoxy or even polyester resin into it and then sanding again.

Andy

[Bill Moore]

I've never tried to stabilize particle board, but for all the trouble, I think I would just build another cab from ply. If you have to retolex anyway, you can start with a smooth surface. (Also, a little lighter!)
Here's a little Peavey practice amp that had a broken cab, (I used biscuits to put it together).

[Bloomfield]

I'll admit 'build a new cabinet' was my first thought too, but not everyone has woodworking tools or skills. Considering the amp only cost $15, any amount of plywood etc. would soon add up to more than that. Trying to fix up the old particle board doesn't seem such a bad idea in that light. Bondo works well for any filling holes and dents that might be in it.

Andy

[R.G.]

There are products for the marine/boating industry, the name brand "Getz-Rot" being one of them. They are water-thin catalyzed epoxies which are designed to soak into wood damaged by rot and stabilize it - very much like what you describe. You might try one of these.

[Axtman]

This is what I used to stablize the particle board. BTW the "particle board" is really more like OSB. The sawdust particles are larger than dust. The product is expensive and worked okay.

[olddawg]

Know anyone who makes or repairs surfboards? I would imagine the catalytic resin they use would be fine and inexpensive. Same stuff they use to patch and repair fiberglass boats.

[d. spree]

There are products for the marine/boating industry, the name brand "Getz-Rot" being one of them. They are water-thin catalyzed epoxies which are designed to soak into wood damaged by rot and stabilize it - very much like what you describe. You might try one of these.

Is that what they called it when Stan Getz began to lose popularity!