Making Oak "ancient"

rebeltf

rebeltf

Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
6,768
I read that the "Bog Oak" look can be obtained by exposing the Oak to ammonia fumes for a month or so , so I am curious if any has tried this ?

My idea is to get like an medium rectangular plastic bin
worm_condo.jpg


poke small holes in the long sides for the wire or fishing line

tie piece of Oak so that it is suspended in the middle , maybe use some silicone on the holes in the bin to seal it

fill bottom inch or so with ammonia , fix the lid on and let the container sit and see what happens.


Turn this into

oak.jpg



this ?
bog_oak_small.jpg


I know I can stain it but it's not the same. :D


Thoughts ? opinions ? comments ?
:)
 
How about putting it in a thin mud slurry and applying vacuum to pull the mud into the wood,then dry it.
 
Try it, it works very good. But its just in the surface of the wood, it doen´t go very deep in it. It doesn´t really take a month, but you should leave it in there for at least a week, then it should turn dark.

Greets from Germany
Robert
 
Don't poke holes in that beautiful container!!
Just rig something up inside to suspend your piece - like a little A-frame or something.
Or, buy some Bog Oak!
 
kbaknife said:
Don't poke holes in that beautiful container!!
Just rig something up inside to suspend your piece - like a little A-frame or something.
Or, buy some Bog Oak!
Click to expand...

Like Karl says and be sure and tape over them vent holes. Ammonia fumes are not real good for you.
 
I've heard of fuming oak and other tannin-rich woods in a plastic "tent". I presume a plastic box would work the same way.

Isn't it sort of the opposite of bog mummification? I always thought stuff in the bogs was preserved because of excess tannin, not the presence of alkalies.
 
Fuming wood is done in a closed container, a taped up cardboard box will work. Use a small quantity of 27% ammonia. It's available in scientific supply houses. It reacts with the tannic acid in the wood.

Because there is so much tannic acid in walnut, fuming will turn it black. I don't think oak has enough. Strong tea is a good way to add the tannic acid and works really well on maple.

Fuming takes anywhere from 18 to 36 hours, depending on ambient temp and desired darkness.

If you do this, use an ammonia cartridge on a respirator. Ammonia at 27% will kill you. And all it will do is color the oak, it won't impartr any other qualities found in bog oak.

Gene
 
If you want to test, that a wood has enough tannic acid to darken it with ammonia, just make a point of the wood wet(water) and lay something made of metal on it, like a nail. If the spot turns black, you got the right wood.

Robert
 
Just a thought....What if you were to bake it for a couple hours at some where between 200 to 300 degrees. Would this damage the grain as to weaken it? Hmmmnn?

Jim L.
 
consider this... points of sticks were charred in a fire to harden them and tighten the grain to make spears, baking it shouldn't harm it, just watch that it doesn't curl n warp with the speed of the drying.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top