so my current project has a number of small details that call for
ebonizing. the furniture is walnut. millwork to date has produced
various scrap already dimensioned to some of the parameters of the
details, so I figured I'd try ebonizing that.

I made a batch of vinegar-and-steel wool. I left the steel wool in the
vinegar until it completely dissolved, then ran it through a coffee
filter. tested a sample of walnut in it. it came out nice and black. a
through cut reveals that the color doesn't penetrate far though. as an
experiment I tried treating the wood with strong black tea first, then
the vinegar/steel wool solution. it produced a slightly, but
noticeably, darker color than the vinegar/ steel wool solution alone,
so that was the process I chose. if I try ebonizing a light wood like
maple or birch I'll play with even stronger tea solutions.

this project has ebonized details inlaid in a field of lightly tinted
but otherwise unstained wood. I don't want to apply the tinted finish
to the ebonized parts, so I'll be doing the inlay work between coats
of finish. that is: spray sanding sealer sand spray tinted glaze
coat till color is right rout out space for and apply inlay spray
clear top coats till done.

I'm a bit nervous about tooling into the color coat- dings and
scratches at this point will be painfully obvious and essentially
nonrepairable, so I may get a clear coat down first.

the detail parts have swelled up with the moisture from the tea and
vinegar/ steel wool solutions. if they don't return to size on their
own I'll try a bit of heat to shrink them down.


any thoughts?

Bridger wrote: snipthe detail parts have swelled up with the moisture from
the tea and
vinegar/ steel wool solutions. if they don't return to size on their
own I'll try a bit of heat to shrink them down.snip
Wait for it... Tom
Work at your leisure!

On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 19:00:33 -0700, wrote:


I made a batch of vinegar-and-steel wool. I left the steel wool in the
vinegar until it completely dissolved, then ran it through a coffee
filter. tested a sample of walnut in it. it came out nice and black. a
through cut reveals that the color doesn't penetrate far though.

a question-
anybody played with pulling a vacuum on the vinegar/ steel wool
solution with the wood in it to get deeper penetration? it would
certainly increase the dry time and probably increase the likelihood
fo parts swelling/ warping to the point of unusability....

Use a "tea" made from one of the traditional tanbarks like oak, elm or
hemlock for a higher tannin content. I imagine the process of penetration
is self-limiting, in that the areas adsorbing the moisture expand, blocking
the passage of further moisture.

Or - http://www.labdepotinc.com/chemical_...pid~T1013.aspx

Try the India ink or Rit dye methods?

wrote in message
...
so my current project has a number of small details that call for
ebonizing. the furniture is walnut. millwork to date has produced
various scrap already dimensioned to some of the parameters of the
details, so I figured I'd try ebonizing that.

I made a batch of vinegar-and-steel wool. I left the steel wool in the
vinegar until it completely dissolved, then ran it through a coffee
filter. tested a sample of walnut in it. it came out nice and black. a
through cut reveals that the color doesn't penetrate far though. as an
experiment I tried treating the wood with strong black tea first, then
the vinegar/steel wool solution. it produced a slightly, but
noticeably, darker color than the vinegar/ steel wool solution alone,
so that was the process I chose. if I try ebonizing a light wood like
maple or birch I'll play with even stronger tea solutions.

SNIP

On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 07:15:44 -0400, "George" george@least wrote:

Use a "tea" made from one of the traditional tanbarks like oak, elm or
hemlock for a higher tannin content.

I live in a desert. we don't have those here G. I'd have to go buy
them.... from somewhere...

at the chinese grocery store I can buy black tea in bulk cheap.





I imagine the process of penetration
is self-limiting, in that the areas adsorbing the moisture expand, blocking
the passage of further moisture.


sounds right. that's what I was after with the vacuum pump question.
seems like it would probably work to pull a vacuum on the wood while
it's in the solution to force it into the pores. suck the air out of
the wood and allow the liquid to replace it....






Or - http://www.labdepotinc.com/chemical_...pid~T1013.aspx

Try the India ink or Rit dye methods?

not yet....

You might want to add a drop or two of dish soap.
Breaks the surface tension of the liquid and lets it
flow into open grain woods

charlie b

A vacuum would be good for drying, but remember at the lumber yard 'Pressure
treated' is the operative term. So first you want to obtain an old pressure
cooker, adapt the spout in the top where the weight sets to an air fitting
then connect your air compressor to the cooker to presure treat you wood
with the desired concoction, the pressure should force the stain deepeer
into the parts. Then you can use the vacuum pump to help dry the parts. As
a safety precaution try to find out the max pressure the cooker is rated
for!!!


wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 07:15:44 -0400, "George" george@least wrote:

Use a "tea" made from one of the traditional tanbarks like oak, elm or
hemlock for a higher tannin content.

I live in a desert. we don't have those here G. I'd have to go buy
them.... from somewhere...

at the chinese grocery store I can buy black tea in bulk cheap.





I imagine the process of penetration
is self-limiting, in that the areas adsorbing the moisture expand,
blocking
the passage of further moisture.


sounds right. that's what I was after with the vacuum pump question.
seems like it would probably work to pull a vacuum on the wood while
it's in the solution to force it into the pores. suck the air out of
the wood and allow the liquid to replace it....






Or - http://www.labdepotinc.com/chemical_...pid~T1013.aspx

Try the India ink or Rit dye methods?

not yet....