Replies

1. 
   rslatm | Oct 02, 2002 07:20pm | #1

   Oak can be darkened by fuming with ammonia. Make a plastic tent and put a jug of ammonia in it for a day or two.  Even one hour will produce results.

   Rick

2. 
   forestgirl | Oct 02, 2002 07:38pm | #2

   Fuming with ammonia will work, but it's not all that simple.  First of all, you need "industrial strength" ammonia, not just the household stuff.  Safety precautions must be followed, as ammonia at high levels can be pretty dangerous stuff to the bod.  There are also commercial aging solutions.  Take a look at the following discussion.  Quite a few good tips throughout the discussion.  I don't know if the Rick there is the same as our Rick:

   http://www.womeninwoodworking.com/dcforum/DCForumID1/539.html#

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   UncleDunc | Oct 02, 2002 09:00pm | #3

   You do not need industrial strength ammonia. I have fumed a number of pieces with household ammonia in a sealed container. Some fumed overnight, and some for two days. They came out quite dark. The thickness of the colored layer was enough that I had no fear of sanding through it. One test piece was a 1/4" thick slice of end grain. It was darkened all the way through in two days.

   These were all small pieces. You will have a harder time finding airtight containers for furniture or carpentry size pieces. The solution I usually see recommended is a plastic tent, as rsl describes. In that situation, presuming the tent is not airtight, industrial strength would reduce the amount of time required, but if you have the time, household ammonia will still work.

   Edited 10/2/2002 2:01:32 PM ET by Uncle Dunc

2. 
   rslatm | Oct 02, 2002 09:32pm | #5

   That was me FG.   You can use household ammonia.   There's also chemicals like FG mentioned.  While the web is cool ... books , magazines, and catalogs are a good source of additional information.  Safety is a given but I would expect someone to do further research such as books before atempting many of the ideas presented on the forums but that probably doesn't happen in most cases I'd be willing to bet.

   Rick

1. 
   forestgirl | Oct 03, 2002 12:33am | #6

   Hi Rick, and I'd bet you're right!  forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

3. 
   JeffKurtz | Oct 02, 2002 09:11pm | #4

   Woodworkers Supply sells a product called Old Growth Aging and Staining Solution which is less hazzardous than ammonia.  (Doesn't cause dogs and cats to lift their leg on the furniture either.)

   Jeff

4. 
   alias | Oct 03, 2002 05:02am | #7

   try this F.W.W #126 pages 46 -49 they cover the diffrences between ammonia hydroxide, and household ammonia ,if you dont have the issue let me know i'll e-mail the article to you.......cheers........ dont burn those nasal receptors out.......bear

5. 
   rushisaliar | Oct 04, 2002 08:06am | #8

   Try potassium permaganate.(purple crystals) You can get it at any industrial chemical company. The results are almost instant. Use outdoors only and don't get on skin.

1. 
   silver77 | Oct 05, 2002 09:51am | #10

   Drew,

   Where would you buy nitric acid in 1 liter quanities? Did you see the pictures in the nitric acid thread? Really inspired me...

   silver

1. 
   rushisaliar | Oct 05, 2002 07:25pm | #11

   http://www.brainerdchemical.com/home.htm

   Silver,The above link will take you to a large supplier. They might be able to steer you in the right direction. I'd also check any industrial chemical supplier in your area. The stuff sound pretty nasty. Drew

1. 
   silver77 | Oct 06, 2002 08:43am | #12

   Thanks for the link...Drew...nasty,eh. He says he uses it ouside with respirator, rubber gloves,eye protection and extreme caution. After seeing the pictures, I'm tempted. I looked at it one night and thought it was a clever internet hoax. I love what it seems to have done to white pine. 

   cheers, silver

6. 
   Shepherd1800 | Oct 05, 2002 12:02am | #9

   Donkey,

   When wood ages it turns either yellow or red with time, plus the darkening of the natural brown color of the wood.  I have had good success with staining the oak with either yellow (for white oak) or red (red oak) and allowing it to dry.  I then seal the first stain coat with some shellac then apply a coat of burnt umber and a couple of coats of orange shellac to bring it to the final color.  The stains I use are dry powdered pigments in a 50/50% mixture of boiled linseed oil and turpentine.  Hope this helps.

    

   Stephen Shepherd