veneer questions

[marcros]

Hi all,

I need help on a couple of pieces of veneer...

Firstly something vaguely white- to replicate snow. Is there any significant difference in colour between sycamore and maple. Is holly noticably whiter?

Then something "labrador" black. Is it worth trying to dye some of the above or would it be preferrable to buy pre-dyed black stuff? I dont think that ebony would have the density and solidness of black that i need for the project, which is a silhouette (well it is a black lab in the snow, but same difference)

Mark

 

[AndyT]

I think they all start out white when cut but will darken when exposed to light. From the garden cuttings I've got of sycamore and holly I would say that the holly is whiter.

For staining, I did once make a replacement chess piece from holly - but it needed to be black. I went over it with a decent black permanent marker, then finished it with the instant black shoe cleaner that comes in a soft plastic tube with a sponge in the end. It has stayed densely black. I have read somewhere about using proper Indian ink from an art shop in the same way. This might be useful on a small scale for veneer, though maybe without the shoe polish.