Maple experiment

[Jack Mincey]

I have alway wanted to try and stain maple using vinegar and steel wool. I put a piece of steel wool in white vinegar for a couple days and wiped it on the call, then heated it up by passing it infront of a flame quickly and it turned out better than I though it would. I think I will do the same to a bowl some day.
Jack
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/100_1543.jpg

[Steve Vaughan]

Wow! That's really cool. Gonna keep that in mind for myself, thanks for sharing!

[Roland Martin]

I've never heard of this before, pretty neat. How long does the smell linger on the piece? Nice call.

[John Keeton]

Really interesting technique, Jack! Better get those calls tuned up - just about that time!:D;)

When I used to build flintlock rifles, I used a finishing process on curly maple that an old rifle builder taught me. I first used a diluted application of nitric acid, let it dry, and then passed a torch over it - it blushes the maple a beautiful red color - similar to aged cherry, but more intense. Then neutralize the acid with an application of water and baking soda. After that dries, apply a concentrated solution of potassium permangenate - a deep purple solution that turns the maple nearly black. Then, using BLO, sand out the maple. It leaves the stripe very prounounced and gives the color one sees on the old antique museum pieces. The sanding with the BLO fills the grain, as well, leaving a great finish.

Wear gloves!! The potassium permangenate does exactly the same thing to your hands!!:eek: And, it is really painful to sand it out!:D

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

Very nice Jack! Where are you buying your slate and glass. I just pucked up Bud and Bettys video and am gonna give a few calls a shot.

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is pretty cool Jack. Put that in my memory bank. Thanks for sharing.

[Paul Douglass]

I've used the vinegar and steel wool before and it works great. In fact I keep a jar of it in my shop. I'm curious, why did you heat it with the flame? I've never heard of that part.

Yours turned out beautiful.

[Frank Van Atta]

Very nice effect. I have used the vinegar/steel wool mix on oak and walnut, but have never tried it on maple. Guess I'll have to try that next.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful call Jack!

Just had a demo (by fellow Creeker Marc Himes) at our last turning club meeting about coloring your turnings. One process was ebonizing using the same solution. The stuff worked great on a piece of Oak and turned it coal black in just a few minutes. He also had brought in samples of other woods that had been ebonized and I was surprised at how nice it worked on Cherry!

Love the way the curl really pops with this effect! Will keep it in mind for the next project that has some curl in it!

Thanks for sharing!

[Bill Bolen]

Sure made the Curl just pop right out of the Maple. Super call,,,,the Tom's are waiting....Bill...

[John Keeton]

As relates to other woods, you may want to check this article by Brian Boggs here (http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/Ebonizing_Wood). Brian goes into detail regarding the need for tannins and how to introduce those to other woods.

[alex carey]

very cool, definitely going to give that a try soon.

[Tim Browne]

Wow. Really neat effect. Did you have to neutralize the vinegar afterward?

[ron hossack]

I do like that look ...

[David E Keller]

Beautiful color on that piece. I like it a lot. I've got a bunch of curly maple pen blanks, and I may have to give that a go. I think it was asked previously, but what does the heating do? Is it mandatory?