Serendipity is defined as "the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way". Not sure the following actually conforms to the definition, but I found it sorta neat.
In order to neutralize some acid, I mixed up a couple tablespoons of baking soda in about 12 ounces of water. I used a short piece of 3/4X3/4 red oak as a stirrer (it was handy). I laid it aside for a few hours and it dried to a pleasing dark (aged?) brown.
Don't know if this was a reaction to the tannins, or what. Gonna try it on some maple, poplar and walnut. If it does the same with the poplar, might have a solution to the green streaks that relegates poplar to a secondary wood status.
Results of my experiment were somewhat illuminating.
Dipped a stick each of walnut, maple and poplar in a solution of 1/2 cup of water and two tablespoons of baking soda. That darkened the poplar somewhat, the maple not at all and the walnut quite a bit.
Then, I made some tea. A one quart sized bag in 2 cups of boiling water. Let it steep for 1/2 hour. Washed a stick of each wood with the tea. Let it get pretty dry and then dipped it in the baking soda solution.
The maple took on a really golden honey color, quite nice. The light part of poplar got pretty dark and the green part turned brown. The difference between the light and dark became quite muted. Still discernible but not nearly as stark as before. The walnut got a shade darker than the piece just dipped in the baking soda solution.
With all but the poplar, I think the same effect could be had with stain. But, my experience with staining poplar leads me to think that a pre-treatment with the tea and baking soda would at least produce a more even color after staining.
Gene, I did something real similar by mixing scotch with 12 ounces of water. I'm not sure what the stir stick was made out of but it turned everything green…..
Dunno, Jerry. The oak I used was red oak. I've only fumed white oak and the result wasn't the same color as the red oak piece dipped in baking soda and water. I don't have any more white oak to test. Do you?
This is very useful, thanks. I wonder if it could sub for ammonia fuming?
Bases will do that to woods. It is the reaction with the tannins.
Challenge is that it is hard to control the concentration/timing - to get even color, or match two tables.
Marc Spagnolo did a video on this this summer - on aging wood with baking soda.
Left to right: Walnut, Poplar, Maple.
Untreated on the left of each treated sample.
Crappy camera. The poplar's untreated piece didn't show it's contrast between the light and dark. But, there is quite a contrast.
Dunno, Chris. Probably work well. Apply the tea liberally. Let it set for a couple hours, then wash it with the banking soda mixture. I used about 2 Tbl spoons of baking soda in about a cup of water.
I found that if you set it in the sun to dry for a day, it gets much darker.
Of course, it always gets darker at the end of the day.
I've got a piece of oakI think could be a candidate for this experiment. Just have to wait until Sherry finishes her bowl, which is looking great so far.
Chris,
Oak is heavy with tannins so, the tea might not be necessary. Won't hurt and it might make it darker.
Let us know what you do and how it comes out.
I will try this on some Maple scrap but I'm a bit unsure on whether this process will have a significant effect on the Maple I have which is really light in color.
In the Dr Dirt's youtube video (wood whisperer) the Maple sample seems just a bit darker after the treatment but in Gene Howe's picture it's clearly much darker and more inline with what I'm trying to achieve.
Of course it's very possible that the Tannin in level played a big part(or the concentration of water/baking soda),maybe if I try Gene's idea of using tea first,(then baking soda) I would get a better result.
Yeah Ken, tea first. And I used the equivalent of 4 Lipton tea bags in 2 cups of water and allowed it to steep for a good 30 minutes. Put it on the maple generously and let it dry. The wash it with the baking soda solution. About 2-3 table spoons in a +cup+ of water.
The maple I used was pretty white, too.
Yeah Ken, tea first. And I used the equivalent of 4 Lipton tea bags in 2 cups of water and allowed it to steep for a good 30 minutes. Put it on the maple generously and let it dry. The wash it with the baking soda solution. About 2-3 table spoons in a +cup+ of water.
The maple I used was pretty white, too.
Thanks Gene,I'll give it a try,I did put some Danish oil (with Cherry stain in it) on the whitish Maple but I wasn't happy with the result,( it looked orange when it dried),looked really bad,so I gave up that idea.
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