Ebonizing my beech end tables - A few questions

[Brent Ring]

I have some beech end tables that need to be very dark. I thought that the oil-based Dark Walnut stain I applied would do the trick, but it is not quite dark enough. So here is what I am thinking to finish these:

1. Make sure the stain is dry.
2. Apply India Ink. ( I need some suggestions on how much to buy, and how to apply this).
3. After ink drys, apply a wax-free shellac coat to seal the ink in.
4. After shellac dries, apply a 2-3 coats of wipe-on poly - with light 220-320 sanding in-between.

Can I apply the ink after the stain, or do I need to sand/strip the stain away? How long does the ink take to dry? Any other suggestions?


Thanks

[Scott Holmes]

Dyes do not work on sealed wood. The binder in the stain seals the wood. Sanding does not remove all the stain from the pores. Use a chemical stripper.

[Tim Lawson]

If you have some scraps of beech left over I'd suggest that experimenting with various sequences of finish to achieve the finish you want. Experimenting on the scraps will save agonizing later.

I buy Indian ink in 1/2 pt bottles from art supply stores. Lasts indefinitely (but not cheap), shake throughly before using. Applying Indian ink is easy (it is pigment suspended in water with a little gum arabic) - pour an ounce or so into a small plastic cup make a rubber from some cotton rag, soak with ink and then wipe on. Repeat until you get a uniform depth of colour (the U is intentional). Let dry (you can get away with as little as 10 mins but longer is better). Seal with a shellac coat. The shellac will lift some of the ink. If it pales too much then apply more ink. Then another shellac coat. Repeat if needed.

After the final shellac coat you can apply the final finish.

Be really careful with the sanding (220-320 is too coarse) start at 400 with a very light scuff sand. Be paranoid about keeping the sandpaper flat otherwise even at 400 it will cut through the finish.

Though what I suggest sounds prescriptive I suggest you experiment with the ink / shellac / finishing sanding until you find the right mix before work on the tables.

Good luck

Tim