DNA Question

[Keith E Byrd]

I just soaked a black walnut bowl in DNA and the DNA is now very dark from the chemicals/acids/stains from the walnut. I am afraid to soak other woods in the DNA for fear it will stain the other wood. Is my fear justified?

[Roger Chandler]

Keith.

I am not sure about walnut...........my first DNA soak was on osage orange, and it colored the alcohol as well, but when I soaked other woods the orange color did not bleed into the wood. I soaked catalpa and walnut in it after the OO, and I think some cherry, and it did not leave any coloration when dried.

I hope you have the same experience...........you could do an experiment by placing a scrap of a lighter wood to soak overnight, and then take it out the next day............once dry you should be able to tell if any dark coloration transferred.

[John Keeton]

I have done a walnut piece in my DNA and a piece of maple thereafter with no coloration. You should be fine.

[Donny Lawson]

Walnut will not hurt the DNA at all. I soak everything in my DNA and it has not affected a piece yet. My DNA actually survived my shop fire back last year and I've been using it now for over a year. It is dark but it hasn't turned any of my bowls colors at all. I guess I have soaked over 100 bowls in it and alot of them were walnut,maple cherry,Holly. You will be fine.

[Justin Stephen]

I did have one vat of DNA that I soaked a lot of eastern red cedar in that I am afraid to use with anything else based on how red that DNA is now. My reluctance may be unnecessary, but man that stuff turned very, very red.

Edit: meant to add that my main vat (see: bucket) of DNA has seen a lot of cherry, oak, maple (including spalted), etc. over the past few months and has darkened substantially to the point of practically being opaque and I have not noticed any discoloration. I will be tossing some holly in it soon so if it is going to do it, it would probably be the holly.

[Steve Schlumpf]

The DNA I use has turned a nice dark brown color from soaking all sorts of wood. It hasn't added color to anything yet and I have been using the DNA method for a few years now. Don't think you have anything to worry about.

[Jim Burr]

I can't see 1" into 6" of DNA it's so dark...no dis-coloration on any light color wood in 2 years of using the same batch.

[Keith E Byrd]

Great response guys! Thanks!