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(09-19-2019, 06:01 PM)ianab Wrote: If he wants wood that looks like walnut, and can afford it, then build it with walnut. Heck of lot easier than making some other wood look like walnut, and makes the top easier to refinish if it gets damaged in the future. It's fairly easy to make varnished walnut look like varnished walnut. Matching poplar stained to look like walnut come out the same is more of a mission.
Just to clarify, I have no problems making the top out of walnut. I have gone through a lot of walnut over the years to include 2 trees that we had milled. Talked to my supplier last night and he has about 200 bft of 8/4 on hand. I agree that poplar finished to look like walnut is a lot of work and simply looks like poplar finished to look like walnut. I would not be trying to make another wood look like walnut. Simply taking another species and staining or dying it a brownish color. Rift sawn ash can look great stained. Never played with hickory or some of the other woods available. Just don't want to limit options.
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The only other wood you mentioned that would look right (to me) stained or dyed would be the elm. Dyeing oak never looks completely natural/right to me; fuming does though.
I don't know what finishing routine you prefer but I would dye the elm or the walnut with the walnut dye from Tools for Working Wood
https://toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/LB-0280.XX
It is water based so it raises the grain but controlling color is easy and the grain of the wood comes through beautifully.
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(09-20-2019, 10:07 AM)TomFromStLouis Wrote: The only other wood you mentioned that would look right (to me) stained or dyed would be the elm. Dyeing oak never looks completely natural/right to me; fuming does though.
I don't know what finishing routine you prefer but I would dye the elm or the walnut with the walnut dye from Tools for Working Wood https://toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/LB-0280.XX
It is water based so it raises the grain but controlling color is easy and the grain of the wood comes through beautifully.
Went over to their house tonight and got the final measurements and requirements. They want to go with the walnut and were not bothered that it was twice the cost. Fine by me because I love working with walnut.
I do prefer to use water based dyes over pigment stains. Used a bunch of vandyke crystals which is a walnut based dye. Also used orange dye to warm up walnut before. I will have to see what the walnut looks like once milled and sanded to see if I will need to do something to it.
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I used
Zip Bolts to hold 3 cabinet top sections together around a corner. Worked well and are easy disassemble if you need to move it.
John
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(09-20-2019, 07:55 PM)Scoony Wrote: Went over to their house tonight and got the final measurements and requirements. They want to go with the walnut and were not bothered that it was twice the cost. Fine by me because I love working with walnut.
I do prefer to use water based dyes over pigment stains. Used a bunch of vandyke crystals which is a walnut based dye. Also used orange dye to warm up walnut before. I will have to see what the walnut looks like once milled and sanded to see if I will need to do something to it.
How's that? I'm curious what process you're using and pictures of how it looks because I've never heard of doing it that way. Thanks.
John
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(09-21-2019, 02:16 PM)jteneyck Wrote: How's that? I'm curious what process you're using and pictures of how it looks because I've never heard of doing it that way. Thanks.
John
I have posted some of my finishes used in the past, but that was quite a while ago. Have not been too busy in the wood shop over the past 2 years, but picking up on the projects lately. I sort of follow some of Glen Huey's finishing schedules which includes water based dyes.
Rob Millard has a post on using orange dye, I used it on a few pieces and it really looks good. Similar to the hue that garnet shellac gives.
Lonnie Bird has info on using red dye. He has a technique for walnut that involves bleaching the walnut, then using red dye. The finished pieces look incredible. I have not tried this yet, but next period piece I make with walnut may get that treatment. BTW, stock makers have been using red dyes on walnut gun stocks for a very long time.
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63 bft of 8/4 walnut. Actually it milled out to 2". I will have to run it through another pass or two for the final clean up, so should remain at least 1 7/8" thick top.
One piece was 10" wide so I had to go old school on flattening one side. Easy peasy.
This is the 72" long table top boards. I am at least 1" over the final width so there is a little bit to play with in getting the final layout.
The 60" table top is just under final width, but I can sneak in a piece of 4/4 walnut to make it up.
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(09-21-2019, 06:32 PM)Scoony Wrote: I have posted some of my finishes used in the past, but that was quite a while ago. Have not been too busy in the wood shop over the past 2 years, but picking up on the projects lately. I sort of follow some of Glen Huey's finishing schedules which includes water based dyes.
Rob Millard has a post on using orange dye, I used it on a few pieces and it really looks good. Similar to the hue that garnet shellac gives.
Lonnie Bird has info on using red dye. He has a technique for walnut that involves bleaching the walnut, then using red dye. The finished pieces look incredible. I have not tried this yet, but next period piece I make with walnut may get that treatment. BTW, stock makers have been using red dyes on walnut gun stocks for a very long time.
Sorry I wasn't more clear. You said you put WB dye over pigment stain. That's what I've never seen done before and am interested in how and why you do that.
John
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(09-21-2019, 07:31 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Sorry I wasn't more clear. You said you put WB dye over pigment stain. That's what I've never seen done before and am interested in how and why you do that.
John
I guess I was the one not clear to start with. I meant to say that my preference is to use WB dyes, not that I would use WB dyes over top of pigment stains. Not sure that would work out too well.
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Things are shaping up nicely. Got both tops glued up and starting flattening and sanding them.
This should give an idea on what it will look like
