How can I turn wood-black

[Lightweeder]

I need to turn small black spindles, about 1.5" x 10". Blackwood is lovely, if difficult to turn and a bit expensive. I tried the wire wool and vinegar thing, but after a week of soaking together, nothing happened. Ordinary wood stains are another alternative, but not everything seems to take and I get dark grey. In the past, I stained stuff with Chestnut spirit stains, but they do come off on sweaty hands and need to have a finish of some sort. Can anyone suggest an easy way to turn black wood - or wood black :? please?

 

[sue denim]

quite a number of my wood turning efforts end up as fire wood.......that tends to get the wood fairly black !!

The vinegar / steel treatment only works on wood with a high tannic content.

After all that I'm not sure


sue

 

[chill]

depends what wood you are trying to stain, I have had good success on oak with india ink

 

[Lightweeder]

Thanks Chill - if I can find a wood that takes stain well (apart from cheap Pine dowel, which is brilliant), I'll use it

 

[petercharlesfagg]

Holly is reasonably bland in grain and takes water based stain very well, I have used it on a number of occasions when making plinths for Silver presentation cups.

Peter.

 

[CHJ]

I take it by your remark regarding stain coming off on hands that you do not want to apply any sort of sealing finish.

I take it we are talking something like chess pieces etc. If so I would have suggested using Chestnut ebonising lacquer, but the no sealer requirement rather precludes that.

 

[nev]

chestnut ebonising lacquer?

 

[CHJ]

chestnut ebonising lacquer?

 

[Spindle]

Hi

Bit radical - but have you considered black permanent marker pens?

Regards Mick

 

[Lightweeder]

Thanks, but for spindles 10" x 0.5", (sorry, 1.5" mentioned earlier was an error) Chestnut ebonising spray is effective, but expensive. I could save them up and spray a batch, I suppose. I have it in stock and have used it, but it's not the answer in this case. I need a quick (not necessarily cheap) way to turn spindles black. Spraying something this size is not ideal.

 

[Daven]

Wax boot polish ;-)

Dave

 

[johnny.t.]

I've as yet to try it LW but I have been told that this leather dye is what you need. Its supposed to be great on wood.

 

[Lightweeder]

Johnny, I hadn't thought of that, which one are you thinking of?

 

[gus3049]

I use black gouache. Its water based so putting a coat of lacquer over it doesn't lift it as it does with just about any other colouring I've tried. It has a very slight graininess which looks just like ebony when its lacquered. It covers brilliantly too.

 

[soulboy]

black shellac? used for ebonising, break-up an old 78 record, soak in meths, make it as thick or thin as you like and 'cheap as chips'. chris

 

[Lightweeder]

Gus 3049 - thanks. Interesting, but I'd prefer not to apply a finishing lacquer. Probably just my technique, but I always manage to end up with a 'gloopy' look.

Soulboy - I'll certainly give that a go.

Many thanks for all the advice.

 

[gus3049]

Gus 3049 - thanks. Interesting, but I'd prefer not to apply a finishing lacquer. Probably just my technique, but I always manage to end up with a 'gloopy' look.

This is the finish I get. I use acid catalyst lacquer thinned to about 60%

 

[bugbear]

Here are some old ways I found when doing research for the OLDTOOLS list.

http://swingleydev.com/archive/get.php? ... =1#message

BugBear

 

[kalvt22]

I've been experimenting with the iron wool and vinegar method (leaving them together in a jam jar for three weeks first) but its a petrolium black/dark blue, nice colour but not black.

 

[nev]

I've been experimenting with the iron wool and vinegar method (leaving them together in a jam jar for three weeks first) but its a petrolium black/dark blue, nice colour but not black.

i tried this too, but my wire wool dissolved :shock: