Sort of OT woodchuckery.

philthygeezer · Sep 10, 2004

Hi!

Since I had good luck with my carved AK I'm going to give this a try:

Nice funky maple top with bird's eye and flame. I'm going use Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil to finish it. It's also got a knot in the lower horn so I'll have to find a way to finish this much darker than the top. Perhaps a walnut stain in the Tru-Oil(?). Going to go back over all the good woodchuckery advice I've read here before.

Aardvark · Sep 10, 2004

Nice wood, Phil. A TruOil finish is going to make it look like you poured molten glass over it. Make sure you post pics when you're done.

BruiseLeee · Sep 10, 2004

I count four chos.

Bri in Chi · Sep 10, 2004

I have had good results with Laurel Mountain Forge maple stain (diluted way down with alcohol) under Tru Oil. It's a nice orange Kentucky rifle-ish color. Whatever you plan to use under the Oil, plan on many very thin coats.

Yvsa · Sep 10, 2004

Aardvark said:
Nice wood, Phil. A TruOil finish is going to make it look like you poured molten glass over it.

Yup and yup! A superglue finish would be pretty on it as well and a lot faster, if speed is a concern.
And you can get wiped out on the fumes as well.

Methinks the superglue would destroy brain cells quicker than beer.:footinmou

What chemical is it that the Kentucky Rifle and some 'Hawk makers put on maple before they finish it to get that beautiful grain effect?
That would be awesome on that body!!!!

apismoclam · Sep 11, 2004

While the wood is "furry", ie, you have raised the grain by wetting and letting dry, apply an even, wetting coat of nitric acid. The wood will turn a nasty greenish yellow. Let dry completely. Then very carefully and slowly use a diffuse and mild propane torch flame to heat, (not scorch!!!) the wood. Practice on scrap until you get the color you want. Less heat, more reddish browm. More, chocolate.That's how the old farts like me do it, and have been doing so for hundreds of years. It is o.k. to meddle in the affairs of Alchemists, as long as you know the incantations, in this case: "Aquafortis (nitric acid) hath teeth, and devoureth human flesh"

apismoclam · Sep 11, 2004

apismoclam said:
While the wood is "furry", ie, you have raised the grain by wetting and letting dry, apply an even, wetting coat of nitric acid. The wood will turn a nasty greenish yellow. Let dry completely. Then very carefully and slowly use a diffuse and mild propane torch flame to heat, (not scorch!!!) the wood. Practice on scrap until you get the color you want. Less heat, more reddish browm. More, chocolate.That's how the old farts like me do it, and have been doing so for hundreds of years. It is o.k. to meddle in the affairs of Alchemists, as long as you know the incantations, in this case: "Aquafortis (nitric acid) hath teeth, and devoureth human flesh"

Bri in Chi · Sep 11, 2004

I once made a big wooden stirring spoon for a friend who used to make really large pots of chili (red, not green-and not near as good as Yvsa's) I made it out of maple, and wanting a food-safe finish, wiped on a bunch of coats of vegetable oil, heating the wood over the stove between coats. Next morning the wood had turned a wonderful Kentucky rifle brown. I thought, hmm... Could this mean something?