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I am interested in building a Federal style, veneered table however I am unsure how to approach staining (if any) of the veneered surfaces. My question pertains to the means to stain the mahogony without coloring the accents and inlays, and vice versa. What I have in mind is of the style of Bob Stevenson’s card table on the back cover of FWW #150.
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There is a way. Mahogany can be dyed quite nicely with potassium permanganate. This is TOXIC when in solution (not the finished wood) so requires considerable care in handling, and some experimentation. The advantage is that while in makes mahogany a really rich mahogany brown, it does not react much or at all with low tannin free woods such as holly or maple used for inlays, leaving them undarkened. I haven't tried this on ebony but doubt any meaningful effect, nor should this effect the shading of fans, etc., since this is just not a dye but charring done it hot sand.
*Bill,You might try using clear shellac to carefully coat the inlays and accents and allow to dry. Then stain the mahogany and the shellac will protect what you don't want stained.Stephen
*Bill,FWIW, I agree with Stepheni if you are going to stain. Personally, I wouldn't use any stain at all.Dano
*An interesting stain finish used on many Federal pieces was a mixture of linseed oil and alkanet root (Alkanna tinctoria) which makes a deep red purple stain that reacts chemically with mahogany to produce a rich deep stain. The only problem is that it is a fugitive stain and will fade with exposure to UV. Orange shellac is a good finish but is not durable for the top. Fine oil or spirit based varnishes were generally used on table tops for durability.Stephen
*Stephen, I always love it when you speak of varnishes--they weren't always "poly" and just because these are so prevalent now, non-poly varnish is so beautiful and just as protective. What happened?! I just do not see the added advantage of poly vs. non-poly for a finish. And I see a lot of down-side for the "look". They are equally as easy in application and even have some advantages of adhesion. I am not trying to pick a fight, but I do wonder if those who use poly have used non-poly and have an opinion on the difference. Do we need to "take this outside"?!!
*Yeah Gretchen,Poly has only been around since 1944 and was not commercially available until sometime later. We have lost many good varnishes because they can't compete with 'simple, easy to use...' modern cheap finishes. I don't know why people are in such a hurry to finish a project that they have spent hours working on. After spending hours, days or weeks on a project that they put their hearts into and don't want to spend more than 15 minutes on the finish. My favorite is Marine Spar Varnish thinned 15 to 20% turpentine. I sand with 220 between coats and seldom have to buff out the final coat. As for me I like picking fights over stuff like this! See you outside.Stephen
*I used to use tupentine too but have simplified my shelves to mineral spirits.
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