Flowerpot
Feb-13-2004, 1:51am
Well, maybe not iced tea, but it was Lipton's.
I had read about the tea/ammonia method for enhancing contrast in maple, so I tried it. I took a piece of bookmatched maple and brushed one side with a brew of strong tea (one teabag of Lipton's with a half teacup of boiling water, steeped for an hour) and brushed the other with water. I had sanded the wood to 220 grit, not a perfect job sanding but close enough. The tea applied to the left side made that side slightly more brown than the right. I then took an open container of ammonia and put in the bottom of a trash bag, and put the wood on a metal cake cooling stand right above it, sanded side down of course, and closed the bag. Left it overnight. The next morning, I could see a definite contrast inccrease on the tea side, not on the other. I also saw that there was a "hot spot" of contrast increase, and general darkening, right above the ammonia container, so I started moving the wood around every few hours. Note to self: use a 9x13 pan or something larger next time (I used a 4 inch circular container, and it seemed to concentrate the vapors over too small an area). Finished product was lightly sanded to remove raised grain, and wetted to simulate finish... the camera does not show the effect as well as you can see it with the eye; it is more apparent looking at it in person. I plan to repeat the "experiment" with my mando #1 and have before/after pics within a few days... I think this was a success!
I had read about the tea/ammonia method for enhancing contrast in maple, so I tried it. I took a piece of bookmatched maple and brushed one side with a brew of strong tea (one teabag of Lipton's with a half teacup of boiling water, steeped for an hour) and brushed the other with water. I had sanded the wood to 220 grit, not a perfect job sanding but close enough. The tea applied to the left side made that side slightly more brown than the right. I then took an open container of ammonia and put in the bottom of a trash bag, and put the wood on a metal cake cooling stand right above it, sanded side down of course, and closed the bag. Left it overnight. The next morning, I could see a definite contrast inccrease on the tea side, not on the other. I also saw that there was a "hot spot" of contrast increase, and general darkening, right above the ammonia container, so I started moving the wood around every few hours. Note to self: use a 9x13 pan or something larger next time (I used a 4 inch circular container, and it seemed to concentrate the vapors over too small an area). Finished product was lightly sanded to remove raised grain, and wetted to simulate finish... the camera does not show the effect as well as you can see it with the eye; it is more apparent looking at it in person. I plan to repeat the "experiment" with my mando #1 and have before/after pics within a few days... I think this was a success!