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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Age
    63
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    0

    Default bringing out curly maple

    I recently purchased a pile of really nice curly maple with lots of flame for making some jewelry boxes. I want to make the stripes stand out without radically coloring the wood. I tried BLO and it just didn't achieve the effect I'm looking for. Should I try a weak anilin dye solution? If so, what color dye?

    Anyone have any ideas?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    .
    Posts
    4,816

    Default

    I would use shellac, if you dont like the shiny effect that shellac can give just go over it when it has dried for a day or two with some wax with steel wool.

    You can get white shellac too that hardly changes the timber colour at all.
    http://www.ubeaut.com.au/ubhome.htm

    Al

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Lost in Space
    Age
    54
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    0

    Default

    Gidday ciscokid

    I'd consider tinting what ever finish you choose with a dye. I think what your after is encouraging the figure to 'POP' without considerably changing the overall colour of your stock.

    The dye you use to tint your finish to enhance the figure in your stock will depend on what kind of finish you choose to use.

    For instance oil based finishes generally go best with oil based dye while best tinting agents for shellac, lacquer n waterbourne finishes are concentrated non grain raising dyes

    The key to getting great results in this situation is use of "test pieces" and experimentation to get the finish you desire.

    Check out the latest edition of Fine Wood Working MAgazine pg: 44 for a great article on using dyes to enhance your finishing.

    Good luck with it & let us know how you got on!

    REgards Lou
    Just Do The Best You Can With What You HAve At The Time

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Melbourne Outer East right next to mount dande
    Age
    74
    Posts
    0

    Default

    I like to add a little maple stain to the lacquer and it warms it up nice. I dont like maple when its in the raw so to speak. A little colour makes the figure stand out. Some guys rub it with stain raw and sand it back. Ther is all sorts of tricks see here
    search "staining maple", pop the grain, etc etc
    ray c
    dunno what's more fun, buyin' the tools or usin' em'

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