Hydrostatic compression method for producing a fancy log from a primary wood

A method for producing a fancy log with a decorative and complicated external appearance from a primary wood, in the shape of a log, without utilizing a mold, wherein said primary wood is compressed to a desired compression ratio of about 50% by cross-sectional ratio and said primary wood is selected from the group consisting of cedar, larch, Japanese cypress, Port Orford cedar, Douglas fir, Oregon pine, and Western hemlock, said method comprising

• a) softening said primary wood, in the shape of a log, having a water content between 10 and 80% by weight by heating said primary wood to a temperature above a softening temperature of said primary wood of about 100° C. to form a softened primary wood;
• b) compressing said softened primary wood, in the shade of a log, using hydrostatic pressure in the range of about 12 kgf/cm2 G to about 30 kgf/cm2 G to form said decorative and complicated external appearance and a compressed primary wood having a compressed state with a higher density and hardness than said primary wood, wherein the hydrostatic pressure is produced from a pressurized liquid having a temperature of about 100° C. ;
• and
• c) treating said compressed Primary wood under a pressure at least equal to said pressure of said compressing b) with at least one means for fixing said compressed state of said compressed primary wood to form said fancy log.

A hydrostatic compression method for producing a fancy log with a decorative and complicated external appearance from a dried primary wood, in the shape of a log, without utilizing a mold, wherein said primary wood is compressed to a desired compression ratio of about 50% by cross-sectional ratio and said primary wood is selected from the group consisting of cedar, larch, Japanese cypress, Port Orford cedar, Douglas fir, Oregon pine, and Western hemlock, comprising:

• (a) impregnating said primary wood, in the shape of a log, with a liquid containing at least one kind of vinyl monomer as a principal ingredient,
• (b) polymerizing said vinyl monomer impregnated in said primary wood for producing a ligneous material, in the shape of a log, containing synthetic resin in said primary wood,
• (c) compressing said ligneous material, in the shape of a log, using hydrostatic pressure in the range of about 12 kgf/cm2 G to about 30 kgf/cm2 G to form said decorative and complicated external appearance and a compressed ligneous material having a compressed state with a higher density and hardness than said primary wood, wherein the hydrostatic pressure is produced from a pressurized liquid having a temperature above a softening point of said primary wood of about 100° C., and
• (d) cooling down said compressed ligneous material below said softening point of said primary wood while said hydrostatic pressure of said pressurized liquid is maintained at the level used in said compressing c) for fixing said compressed state of said compressed ligneous material to form said fancy log.

A method for producing a fancy log with a decorative and complicated external appearance from a primary wood, in the shape of a log, without utilizing a mold, wherein said primary wood is compressed to a desired compression ratio of about 50% by cross-sectional ratio and said primary wood is selected from the group consisting of cedar, larch, Japanese cypress, Port Orford cedar, Douglas fir, Oregon pine, and Western hemlock, said method comprising

• a) adjusting a water content of said primary wood, in the shape of a log, to provide an adjusted water content in the range of 10-80% by weight;
• b) bringing said primary wood, in the shape of a log, having said adjusted water content into a softened state by heating said primary wood having said adjusted water content to a temperature above a softening point of said primary wood having said adjusted water content;
• c) compressing said primary wood, in the shape of a log, in said softened state by using hydrostatic pressure wherein said hydrostatic pressure is applied by a liquid as a pressurizing medium to form said decorative and complicated external appearance and a compressed primary wood having a compressed state with a higher density and hardness than said primary wood;
• and
• d) lowering a temperature of said liquid below said softening point of said primary wood having said adjusted water content while said hydrostatic pressure of said compressing c) is maintained to fix said compressed state of said compressed primary wood to thereby form said fancy log.