How to Ebonize wood...

[Trout]

I got this Ebonizing recipe with a pattern...

This solution works on Aromatic cedar, Butternut, Cherry, Mahogany, Oak, Walnut and Maple...(but does not work on Poplar)...

Put a cource steelwool pad in a plastic jar with a plastic lid, this is best to use because the lid won’t rust. Add enough ordinary Vinegar to cover the steelwool and loosely cap. Set aside for a day or two. Strain the vinegar throught a cloth, don’t squeeze the vinegar out of the pad or you may get bits of metal in the liquid, which will rust.

Brush on the vinegar solution, the wood will turn black resembling ebony.

Note: The wood must be sanded as the solution dosen't work well on planed wood..

Diluting the solution with water creates a lighter shade...

Trout

[Marcel in Longueuil]

It does work on poplar.

Dip it in tea first.

I'm not joking, try it on a scrap piece.

Regards,
Marcel

[lucky788scroller]

There is a photo of a black lab clock in my gallery that was ebonized red oak.
Heres a good place to learn all sorts of great ideas to play with on wood http://www.macsimmons.com/macsnotebookindex.html dale

[Trout]

the only reason I posted this...

I was reading the painting thread and Rolf replied saying that SSW was going to have a article about ebonizing in an up coming issue and that Canadian Scroller was planning on doing a project using this technique...

I'm just hoping that my wife sent my subscription in on time for me to get that issue so I can learn more about it too..

The recipe came with my Striped bass pattern and I wanted to stay true to the pattern so I tried it and that's how I found that it doesn't take to poplar..

Trout

[Gill]

Hi Trout

Have you seen this thread?

Gill

[Trout]

Thanks Gill

you know that thread you referred to started the day I joined this group...
and I'm sure with a group like this the topic has been discussed many times...

Trout

[CanadianScroller]

Alternate colouring methods

Years ago I met a Swedish Master Carver in Langford BC.
He made all his own dies and stains. He mentioned using everything from vinegar to walnut husks.
I came upon this site today and want to pass it on.
There are some great alternate colouring ideas. One of them I have used already, shoe polish. I used a brown shoe polish to rub on some carved and painted Santas I did once,. The effect was a great patina making them look old and folksy.

[Jediscroller]

GREAT link Carl!!!! Thanks.

[irish]

fading

Does anyone know if ebonizing a project will it fade after a certain period of time or will it maintain it darkness ?
Irish

[Jediscroller]

Irish,
I don't think it will fade. The vinegar solution soaks into the wood as a stain would. If anything, I think it will get darker with age.

[Daryl185]

I have used this very same technique in the past, I got the reciepe from Woodcrafters magazine, I used it to stain a black bear project for a lady way back when I first started to scroll, the effect was great

[Daryl185]

making a brew of ebonizer to use this weekend on a wolf I am doing can't wait to see how it turns out

[corkcummings]

Hello;Just signed on to this sight and it looks really interesting. Does anyone out there have an R B I scrollsaw and if so are you able to do anything about vibration at the higher speeds? I do a lot of intersia, any thoughts or tricks of the trade for this type of work? Has anyone ever taken a class from Judy Gail Roberts and if so what did you think of it? Cork.