This may be a dumb question but.... Is there a good technique out there
for staining or dying just the sapwood to more closely match the
heartwood in a board? Built a narrow table at MIL's request for
displaying photos of the grandkids and great grandkids. I wanted to use
walnut and cherry. Since walnut is virtually impossible to get locally,
I usually end up looking for reasonable deals on ebay. This particular
lot had some really strange heartwood/sapwood patterns. You can see a
little of it on the table leg in the photo, but there is more not
visible here. It is almost splotch-looking rather than running evenly
with the grain.

On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 09:55:17 -0500, "Charlie M. 1958"
wrote:

This may be a dumb question but.... Is there a good technique out there
for staining or dying just the sapwood to more closely match the
heartwood in a board? Built a narrow table at MIL's request for
displaying photos of the grandkids and great grandkids. I wanted to use
walnut and cherry. Since walnut is virtually impossible to get locally,
I usually end up looking for reasonable deals on ebay. This particular
lot had some really strange heartwood/sapwood patterns. You can see a
little of it on the table leg in the photo, but there is more not
visible here. It is almost splotch-looking rather than running evenly
with the grain.

I have used Watco Danish oil with dark walnut to even out the sap wood
on walnut.

Mark
http://home.mchsi.com/~xphome/

On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:06:53 -0500, Markem
wrote:

On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 09:55:17 -0500, "Charlie M. 1958"
wrote:

This may be a dumb question but.... Is there a good technique out there
for staining or dying just the sapwood to more closely match the
heartwood in a board?


_When_ I do this, I usually do it with diluted Solar Lux, slowly
sneaking up on what I want. The Solar Lux can fade, but it still
looks better than an unwanted extreme contrast.

"Charlie M. 1958" wrote in message
...
This may be a dumb question but.... Is there a good technique out there
for staining or dying just the sapwood to more closely match the
heartwood in a board? Built a narrow table at MIL's request for
displaying photos of the grandkids and great grandkids. I wanted to use
walnut and cherry. Since walnut is virtually impossible to get locally,
I usually end up looking for reasonable deals on ebay. This particular
lot had some really strange heartwood/sapwood patterns. You can see a
little of it on the table leg in the photo, but there is more not
visible here. It is almost splotch-looking rather than running evenly
with the grain.


I've never tried it for heartwood, but Van Dyke Brown crystals are made from
walnut husks. I read somewhere it will stain the heartwood to hide it.

Nice table Charlie, Most walnut these days is steamed to get rid of color
variations . Preferences vary all over the place . Having been in the
antique business years ago seems to me the variations of color and grain
characteristics are the very thing that attracts people to fine antiques .
major manufacturers these days want even color in their woods and straight
grained woods so that the planer does not cause tear out , this with all the
sythetic finish coats is why so many pieces are characterless and look like
plastic woodgrained laminate .

As a postscript, over time walnut will lighten naturally particularly if it
is in a well lit environment. regards mjh




"Charlie M. 1958" wrote in message
...
This may be a dumb question but.... Is there a good technique out there
for staining or dying just the sapwood to more closely match the
heartwood in a board? Built a narrow table at MIL's request for
displaying photos of the grandkids and great grandkids. I wanted to use
walnut and cherry. Since walnut is virtually impossible to get locally,
I usually end up looking for reasonable deals on ebay. This particular
lot had some really strange heartwood/sapwood patterns. You can see a
little of it on the table leg in the photo, but there is more not
visible here. It is almost splotch-looking rather than running evenly
with the grain.

In article ,
"Charlie M. 1958" wrote:

This may be a dumb question but.... Is there a good technique out there
for staining or dying just the sapwood to more closely match the
heartwood in a board?

Normally I prefer to work with sapwood. So rather than trying to hide it
(either with stain or with the way the board is cut) I try to make use
of it. A friend had a stunning red cedar table that would have been
boring as heck if it was all heartwood.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

Ecnerwal wrote:
In article ,
"Charlie M. 1958" wrote:

This may be a dumb question but.... Is there a good technique out there
for staining or dying just the sapwood to more closely match the
heartwood in a board?

Normally I prefer to work with sapwood. So rather than trying to hide it
(either with stain or with the way the board is cut) I try to make use
of it. A friend had a stunning red cedar table that would have been
boring as heck if it was all heartwood.

Thanks to all who replied. I got some good tips, which I will try in the
future, but mostly I have been convinced to appreciate each board "as is."

Charlie M. 1958 wrote:

This may be a dumb question but.... Is there a good technique out there
for staining or dying just the sapwood to more closely match the
heartwood in a board? Built a narrow table at MIL's request for
displaying photos of the grandkids and great grandkids. I wanted to use
walnut and cherry. Since walnut is virtually impossible to get locally,
I usually end up looking for reasonable deals on ebay. This particular
lot had some really strange heartwood/sapwood patterns. You can see a
little of it on the table leg in the photo, but there is more not
visible here. It is almost splotch-looking rather than running evenly
with the grain.

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Have you ever tryed bleaching? There
are several sold that do a wonderfull job.