Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Jan 14, 2009 11:10pm | #1

   You may need to bleach, which would be the two part A B bleach. You will have do do a lot of experimenting with the bleach to get a consistent result.  I'd even think about trying to use wood all from the same tree so that the chemistry is the same for each.  I'm not sure this is as necessary with bleaching as it is with other chemical dyes, including fuming. 

   But, before I resorted to the bleach I would experiment with a white pickling stain.  You would probably want to spray the stain. 

   Then for top coating you would want a water clear finish such as a CAB lacquer or a waterborne acyrlic. 

   This is a finish that I sure would want to get the client to literally sign off on before undertaking to finish the entire sideboard. 

   Since the bleaching effect is not very deep you would want to prefinish only parts that would not have to be sanded or planed after glue up. 

2. 
   Eef | Jan 15, 2009 01:32am | #2

   hey chris,

   not that i'm much of a finisher, however my experience with bleaching wood showed me what a pain in the #### it is.  i used oxalic acid.  nasty stuff.  that was back in the late 80's.  the next time the need came up i was told about, and obtained, an over-the-counter product which was also toxic as hell.  both did their job, turning dark wood somewhat colorless with the grain still showing though.  within a short time the material bleached with both methods regained their original colors.  frustrating at best.

   sorry chris, maybe someone will be somewhat helpful.

    

   eef

   
   

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   Edited 1/14/2009 5:34 pm ET by Eef

1. 
   flairwoodworks | Jan 15, 2009 01:42am | #3

   Hey, that was helpful. Now I'm a little less enthusiastic about bleaching. I wasn't too excited to begin with either. I don't like frustrations. I do however have a holly log drying out in the side yard... not likely to fit the bill though.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

1. 
   Eef | Jan 15, 2009 02:00am | #4

   chris,

   maybe a simple fooling of the eye needs to happen.  for example,  if the cabinet were walnut and the toe-kick,or base,were white birch then the inevitable law of oxidation would be relative to dark and light becoming that way-together.  am i making sense here?

   eef

   i have, now and then, disuaded a client (when i had clients) from making me do the impossible.  the above may serve you as such a client-disuader.

1. 
   flairwoodworks | Jan 15, 2009 04:02am | #5

   I don't quite follow you on the oxidation. I think that I will start with a white pickling stain and see where that gets me. The client has also said that paint would be okay, but that for me is a last resort. Perhaps painted panels, but hopefully no more.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

1. 
   Eef | Jan 15, 2009 08:33pm | #7

   chris,

   the dark wood will darken, as will the light wood.  the dark will always be darker as the light will always be lighter.

   a little scary-huh?

   eef

3. 
   ring | Jan 15, 2009 09:11am | #6

   Chris,

   The way to go is a combination - first use bleach (I make my own 2-part bleaches, but the store-bought stuff is fine) and then use a wash coat of white tinted primer or base. I would follow with a waterborne poly topcoat, since it is less yellowing than others, as far as I've seen.

   David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e

1. 
   flairwoodworks | Jan 16, 2009 05:46am | #8

   David,With all due respect to eef, do you find bleaching as much of a pain as he does?Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

1. 
   ring | Jan 16, 2009 07:14am | #9

   No. It's an additional finishing step, but nothing especially bothersome about it. We quite routinely do kitchen cabinets in bleached walnut.David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e

4. 
   Dave45 | Jan 16, 2009 05:46pm | #10

   Check out the Minwax water based acrylic stains. I've used a couple of the darker colors on recent projects (one sprayed and one brushed on) and really like them. They're easy to work with, dry quickly, and look great with a couple of coats of the Minwax Polycrylic finish.

   
1. 
   flairwoodworks | Jan 16, 2009 06:28pm | #11

   Thanks Dave - I'll look into them.
   Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer