I have some REAL wood—not salvaged barnwood—that I plan to make some boxes with. I plan to use some figured black ash for the sides, matching the grain on all four corners. I have some dark walnut for the base and top. I plan to make a cutout on the top for a customer to make a customized copper insert. (By the Way, I found the “golden ratio” in one of my copy of November 2006 issue of Wood.)
Right nowI am conceiving using some clear shellac on the ash and amber shellac on the top and base. The question is, what type of dye/stain would you all prefer to accentuate the full figured ash? Do I need to stain the walnut to bring out its dark color? If so, what?
Building is realtively easy—the real trick and treasure is in the finish! Help me to better understand this essential step!
God Bless,
Hawg
-- Saving barnwood from the scrapyards
3 comments so far
Douglas Bordner
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3427 posts in 963 days
posted 861 days ago
Sounds like what you have planned will work out just fine. Some folks like to oil the walnut to darken it and pop the grain before applying the topcoat, but other think it muddies the grain. Do some test swatches on offcuts to experiment. Looking forward to seeing the finished project. Have fun with the “real wood”.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
Kaleo
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200 posts in 1039 days
posted 861 days ago
just wondering, how do you plan to match the grain in all 4 corners? Unless you mean you are going to resaw a board and then match them all up. If you are planning on another way I would love to know the trick.
Good luck with everything.
-- Kaleo , http://www.kalafinefurniture.com
Hawgnutz
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522 posts in 975 days
posted 860 days ago
Kaleo, You got the process right. I don’t know of any way to match all corners without resawing a board.
God Bless,
Hawg
-- Saving barnwood from the scrapyards