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Thread: Finishing with added color

  1. #1

    Finishing with added color

    I turned a platter from ash that has a significant amount of sapwood compared to the darker heartwood. Since the sapwood is so light, the platter just kind of looks washed out. I usually finish my functional bowls with walnut oil only. In fact, that's all I ever finish with. Is there a process to 'stain' the wood to darken it, yet still keep the natural characteristics of walnut oil for the final finish. Thanks

  2. #2
    Take a look at these two sites for two ideas to try:

    Fuming Wood

    https://www.rockler.com/how-to/fuming-wood/

    The Practice of Steaming Walnut Lumber
    http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/...cles_894.shtml


    Or try searching 'ammonia wood fuming' or 'walnut sap wood steaming' for other sites.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Karl Loeblein View Post
    Take a look at these two sites for two ideas to try:

    Fuming Wood

    https://www.rockler.com/how-to/fuming-wood/
    Fuming requires the presence of tannin in the wood -- that's why it works so well with white oak. It will not work on ash, unless you apply a tannin tea/wash before fuming. It still will not do much. Ebonizing would be a somewhat better process for ash. See

    https://www.popularwoodworking.com/t...bonizing_wood/

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Hogan View Post
    I turned a platter from ash that has a significant amount of sapwood compared to the darker heartwood. Since the sapwood is so light, the platter just kind of looks washed out. I usually finish my functional bowls with walnut oil only. In fact, that's all I ever finish with. Is there a process to 'stain' the wood to darken it, yet still keep the natural characteristics of walnut oil for the final finish. Thanks
    I generally use "danish" oil instead of walnut oil. I don't know about the walnut oil suppliers, but the Watco people have several colors of their danish oil including a dark walnut color that might look nice. I haven't tried it on ash.

    JKJ

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    Roger that John!

  6. #6
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    Trans Tint dyes will color walnut oil if you want a subtle color change, or you can apply them directly to the wood for a stronger color. I buy Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Black and a couple of browns and I can mix any color I want

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Henrickson View Post
    Fuming requires the presence of tannin in the wood -- that's why it works so well with white oak. It will not work on ash, unless you apply a tannin tea/wash before fuming. It still will not do much. Ebonizing would be a somewhat better process for ash. See

    https://www.popularwoodworking.com/t...bonizing_wood/
    Buy a pound of tannin powder from a wine maker supply house or Amazon. Add about 1/4 cup to quart of water, mix well and apply with a brush to the platter. You will have a plenty of tannin in the wood. Or before sanding add the tannin mix, before sanding the tannin mix will soak in better on the softer parts of the grain. Then sand, this method will accent the grain a little better. Or do one of the above and before sanding apply the vinegar steel wool mix, then sand back the raised grain, and apply some dye, any kind, I prefer playing with alcohol based Feibings leather dye, but the trans tint dyes will also work.

    Over the above concoctions you can use the walnut oil, but I prefer a home brew Danish type mixture or the Watco brand of Danish or Watco Teak Oil.

    Or before sanding apply a diluted mixture of Feibings leather dye, either black or dark brown. Let it dry, then sand to what ever sanding finish you go to, then apply another coat of Feibings dye in a lighter color of your choice.

    All Feibings dyes that I use are alcohol based, NOT the oil based dyes. It DOES take some experimenting to get the desired look. But this is one way to accent plain wood that I have used. And I repeat, experiment, 4 bottles of Feibings for around $25 goes a long way. Other hints, just do stripes like on a zebra across the wood with the wool dauber with a dark color, sand back and the apply another diluted color on top of everything. Or try to do a tie dye look with 4 colors. Anybody can be the next Picasso... LOL

  8. #8
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    Unless I am off-base, I think that Danish oil and Walnut oil are quite a bit different. Danish Oil (IIRC) includes a varnish but Walnut oil does not. It is just an oil that was heat treated so that it - - supposedly - - eventually polymerizes.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Brice Rogers View Post
    Unless I am off-base, I think that Danish oil and Walnut oil are quite a bit different. Danish Oil (IIRC) includes a varnish but Walnut oil does not. It is just an oil that was heat treated so that it - - supposedly - - eventually polymerizes.
    While recipes are sure to differ and change even with the same maker, I understand "danish" oil is usually boiled linseed oil, mineral spirits, and some kind of varnish, perhaps poly. You can easily mix up your own for a lot cheaper and many people do.

    If you prefer to buy the can (I do) be advised that the Watco brand is about 1/2 the if I buy it from the local Ace hardware store instead of WoodCraft. This goes for other finishes as well. If they don't have what I want they order it and have it the next day or so.

    JKJ

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by JohnC Lucas View Post
    Trans Tint dyes will color walnut oil if you want a subtle color change, or you can apply them directly to the wood for a stronger color. I buy Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Black and a couple of browns and I can mix any color I want
    I have not tried using Trans Tint in walnut oil, but they will not blend with any other oil based products, such as WOP and Danish Oil, as the dyes are an alcohol solution. Perhaps Trans Fast dyes would, though I do not use those and can't say. Most tinted oils and varnish blends are suspensions of pigment, not solutions, which distinguishes dyes from stains. Stains are suspensions, whereas dyes are solutions. Suspensions leave the pigment on the surface or in the pores, whereas solutions (dyes) actually color the fibers of the wood.

    Dyes are best used on bare wood, though they will easily dissolve into shellac and, in fact, using a 5% addition of shellac when dyeing wood is a good way to "set" the dye. A heavier mix will leave a colored layer on top of the wood. Lacquer will work the same, as Trans Tint will dissolve in it, as well.

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  11. #11
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    I have not tried mixing transtint with oils yet. If I remember I'll give it try tomorrow. I normally use lacquers and shellacs when I'm trying to match finishes. Or I will simply color the wood before finishing. You can mix the transtint to any dillution you want.

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