"MEDIEVAL" - white oak and wrought-iron coffee table

after you applied the “liquid nightmare” did you apply anything to stop the darkening process?
Great job! i like it!

-- The hard work won't take too long, the impossible will take a little longer

Why, thank you sir. Nope – the oak sorta took what it wanted. I tried samples of my liquid nightmare on both red and white oak, and they reacted quite differently. Additional coatings did enhance it, but be very careful of a rust layer forming. After the second application I had to brush it down with Varsol to remove some free rust or oxide and it was fine after that.

-- - before I could only dream it....

The harder parts of the oak (where it was less abraded) took less of the ebonizing – presumably because the grain was tighter and less free tannins were available to react. Pictures don’t show it, but this really deepened the darkness of the eroded troughs, and left the high spots a touch lighter or more natural. All in all looks very naturally weathered or aged in real life.

-- - before I could only dream it....

Very nice! It looks very medieval, Great work!
Thanks for sharing!

-- Robert B. Sabina, Ohio.....

Thanks for sharing the chemical process for your stain… great tip! This is why I keep returning to LJ! Now in my Favorites. Peace…

-- GX

Nice table did you forge those legs in your shop ?

-- donald mee

Thanks donaldmee – yep the legs started out as 1-1/4” square bar, forged to a taper and patterned as you see. Tried to make them look like the rough-hewn old beams once shaped with adzes and chisels, leaving behind the tell-tale ridges and gouges.

-- - before I could only dream it....