Using Mordants on timber to fix natural dyes- Ubeaut??

[tea lady]

Maybe a question for Ubeaut. In the French polishers handbook they are mentioned as "being used on timber" but a process is not described directly. I know mordants are used to fix dyes in wool. Are they used in a similar way on wood? They are heated in a dye bath for wool. What do you do with wood when you use them?

Coming from pottery, chemical processes always fascinate me. And with my recent road side find of some Red Aldar that is going orange in the air, I would like to find a way to use the orange as a feature. But I am told it fades away to boring ol' brown.

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f8/205189d1334562294t-green-turning-red-alder-wip-sort-alderwip-026s.jpg

[dr4g0nfly]

I'm now curious as to what dyes you are thinking of (for use on wood) that would need a mordant to set it?

You're not dipping/soaking your wood in material dyes, are you?

[tea lady]

I'm now curious as to what dyes you are thinking of (for use on wood) that would need a mordant to set it?

You're not dipping/soaking your wood in material dyes, are you?The bark of alder is used to dye wool a russet brown. So I was wondering if a mordant would fix the wood's own colour instead of letting it fade. I think Allum is used on wool.

[dr4g0nfly]

Interesting thought. I have an old (189?) handbook of finishes and all the old knowledge. But it's packed as we are nearly ready to move home.

When I get the workshop straight again, I'll look through to see if there is any useful information for you.

But I'll watch his with interest incase someone else has modern knowledge.