Hi Boop
Finishing Oak Wood
¶ The work of construction must all be done before the wood is given its final
finish; but in this connection we will outline briefly the best method of
finishing oak, as the sturdy wooden quality of the furniture depends entirely
upon the ability of the worker to treat the wood so that there is little
evidence of an applied finish. Oak should be ripened as the old mahogany was
ripened by oil and sunshine, and this can be done only by a process that,
without altering or disguising the nature of the wood, gives it the appearance
of having been mellowed by age and use. This process is merely fuming with
ammonia, which has a certain affinity with the tannic acid that exists in the
wood, and it is the only one known to us that acts upon the glossy hard rays
as well as the softer parts of the wood, coloring all together in an even tone
so that the figure is marked only by its difference in texture. This result
is not so good when stains are used instead of fuming, as staining leaves the
soft part of the wood dark and the markings light and prominent.
Fuming Oak
¶ The fuming is not an especially difficult process, but it requires a good
deal of care, for the piece must be put into an air-tight box or closet, on
the floor of which has been placed shallow dishes containing aqua ammonia (26
per cent). The length of time required to fume oak to a good color depends
largely upon the tightness of the compartment, but as a rule forty eight hours
is enough. When fuming is not practicable, as in the case of a piece too
large for any available compartment or one that is built into the room, a
fairly good result may be obtained by applying the strong ammonia directly to
the wood with a sponge or brush. In either case the wood must be in its natural
condition when treated, as any previous application of oil or stain would
keep the ammonia from taking effect. After the wood so treated is thoroughly
dry from the first application it should be sandpapered carefully with fine
sandpaper, then a second coat of ammonia applied, followed by a second careful
sandpapering.
¶ Some pieces fume much darker than others, according to the amount of tannin
left free to attract the ammonia after the wood has been kiln dried. Where
any sap wood has been left on, that part will be found unaffected by the fumes.
There is apt also to be a slight difference in tone when the piece is not
all made from the same log, because some trees contain more tannic acid than
others. To meet these conditions it is necessary to make a "touch-up" to even
the color. This is done by mixing a brown aniline dye (that will dissolve in
alcohol) with German lacquer, commonly known as "banana liquid". The mixture
may be thinned with wood alcohol to the right consistency before using. In
touching up the lighter portions of the wood the stain may be smoothly blended
with the darker tint of the perfectly fumed parts, by rubbing along the line
where they join with a piece of soft dry cheese cloth, closely following the
brush. If the stain should dry too fast and the color is left uneven, dampen
the cloth very slightly with alcohol. After fuming, sandpapering and touching
up a piece of furniture, apply a coat of lacquer, made of one third white
shellac and two thirds German lacquer. If the fuming process has resulted in
a shade dark enough to be satisfactory, this lacquer may be applied clear; if
not, it may be darkened by the addition of a small quantity of the stain
used in touching up. Care must be taken, however, to carry on the color so
lightly that it will not grow muddy under the brush of an inexperienced worker.
The danger of this makes it often more advisable to apply two coats of lacquer,
each containing a very little color. If this is done, sandpaper each coat
with very fine sandpaper after it is thoroughly dried and then apply one or
more coats of prepared floor wax. These directions, if carefully followed,
should give the same effects that characterize the Craftsman furniture.
Staining
¶ Sometimes a home cabinetworker does not find it practicable or desirable to
fume the oak. In such a case there are a number of good stains on the market
that could be used on oak as well as on other woods.
Staining with Shellac
¶ Oak and chestnut alone are susceptible to the action of ammonia fumes, but in
other ways the oak, chestnut, ash and elm come into one class as regards
treatment, for the reason that they all have a strong, well defined grain and
are so alike in nature that they are affected in much the same way by the
same method of finishing. For any one of these woods a water stain should never
be used, as it raises the grain to such an extent that in sandpapering
to make it smooth again, the color is sanded off with the grain, leaving an
unevenly stained and very unpleasant surface. The most satisfactory method
we know, especially for workers who have had but little experience, is to use a
small amount of color carried on in very thin shellac. If the commercial
cut shellac is used it should be reduced with alcohol in the proportion of one
part of shellac to three of alcohol. This is because shellac, as it is
ordinarily
cut for commercial purposes, is mixed in the proportion of four pounds to a
gallon of alcohol, so that in order to make it thin enough it is necessary
to add sufficient alcohol to obtain a mixture of one pound of shellac to a
gallon of alcohol. If the worker does his own cutting he will naturally use
the proportion last mentioned, one pound of shellac to a gallon of alcohol.
When the piece is ready for the final finish, apply a coat of thin shellac,
adding a little color if necessary; sandpaper carefully and then apply one or
more coats of liquid wax. These directions are entirely for the use of home
workers. The method we use in the Craftsman Workshops differs in many ways, for
we naturally have much greater facilities for obtaining any desired effect
than would be possible with the equipment of a home worker.
URL Below
http://www.craftsman-style.info/cabinetry/finishing.htm
________________________________
From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf
Of Boop
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2007 11:46 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Staining oak to make it look old
Hi gang,
I can't remember if I heard about this on this list, or
somewhere else. Tom is building a large display table for an old
oil well exhibit at the local state park, and would like it to
look old, so it looks like it belongs. The table top is about 3
feet wide, and 10 feet long, and is made of oak. He thinks there
is something you can add to the stain, or put on before the
stain, that will react to the natural tannin in oak, that will
make it darker. Does anyone know what that might be, or what I'm
talking about?
Thanks,
Boop
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