White Wood Question (Intarsia related)

[Jediscroller]

I've seen some intarsia where the wood is bright white and I will be needing this for a piece that I'm working on. My question is how are those of you who do this achieving that? It's much whiter than Aspen or Holly.
Thanks in advance.

Kevin

[Jediscroller]

Anyone????

[Sue Chrestensen]

Kevin..try a wash of white paint over the wood maybe..or white shoe polish (the cream kind).. Bartley's used to have a white gel stain which worked reasonably well too.. hope that helps

[PuzzledMoose]

Kevin, I seem to remember reading somewhere recentlty that the heartwood of holly is white. But can't remember where I read that. Sorry not to be much more help.

[PuzzledMoose]

Just found these pics - the top one looks pretty white but there seems to be a big colour variation in the others .. http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/person...pics/holly.htm

[Jediscroller]

Thanks Sue and Moose.
Moose, yes, the heartwood of holly is very white as is aspen if you search, the problem lies in finishing them. They tend to yellow slightly as with my swan below. This was acceptable (to me at least) with the swan, but the piece I'm working on now I don't think I'll get away with it. This wood was VERY white before finishing with just a clear lacquer.
Sue, I thought Bartley's had something like that but I haven't had any luck in finding it, I'll have to search again. Another question for you oh queen of the different finishes .....with the shoe polish, do you know if a top coat is ok (i.e. a clear lacquer) once it's been applied?
Thanks again.

[bearfretworks]

Great questions and answers!

I've used Minwax pickling solution before with good results to turn light wood whiter.... I've used it on poplar, and found that the more coats I put on, the whiter the wood gets. It finishes well with lacquer. I have one piece I made when I started scrolling (2 yrs ago) and it is still "white". Not a painted white, but a slightly yellowish white that is very similar to a dall sheep or mountain goat ..........

[Neal Moore]

Kevin...Bartleys does have a white "wipe on" gel and I'm sure I read somewhere that Judy Gale Roberts or Cathy Wise use it to brighten up their white wood. I can't remember where I read it but I know I did. You might also try a thin wash or two of gesso on a piece of scrap. You would have to buff it with 400 grit to level the grain but I do know that being acrylic it will not be affected by your final finish. Wash coats will still let the grain pattern show and I'm pretty sure it won't yellow.

[BobD (Archive)]

I've heard of carvers using wood bleach with good results as well...Vicki Bishop, a popular instructor, doesn't use white paint on her santas, she bleaches the wood...

I haven't tried it myself...

Bob

[workin for wood]

Transfast has a white dye. You mix it with water...it keeps the grain visible too. If you don't want Holly to yellow, don't use an oil finish. Minwax now has acrylic latex spray cans available, I tried one and it worked great. Looks milky at first, but dry's hard and clear and will not yellow over time...also cleans up great in water. Water based is quickly taking over oil based products...there is only one real draw back, and that is alcohol. If you build a table and apply water base, alcohal..such as a spill of wine, will ruin the finish. Otherwise, you can spray catalysed water base poly and have a finish that is much harder than a laquer, and dries so nice and fast that dust has little time to settle.

[MacS]

Whitening the wood

Buy a tube of Titanium White colorant at any arts and craft shop, choice either the "acrylic or the water" type.

Both, of these pigmented paste colorants can be reduced with "water" which is known as the "universal solvent." You can make up your own colored washes, stains, or paints depending on the formula you mix up.

After, the white coloring medium as dried, to keep the "color" "white" you must use only "water clear coatings." These coatings maybe, either water base or solvent based coatings.

Stay away from "oil based" stains, glazes, and gel stains, they will "yellow" over time.

[MacS]

White Dye ?

Jeff,

There is no "white dye." If you re-check the list of "Transfast" dyes sold by "Homestead" they have no white dye listed.

FYI - pigmented powders are actually better then dyes for resisting fading, because, the pigmented particles are greater in size and will block out more space. This "feature" also, will make these particles less trasparent then dye particles.

[workin for wood]

That's interesting mac, cause I have a bottle right here that I bought at woodcraft about a month ago. It really works great too.

[MacS]

White Dye?

Its most likely "titanium dioxide" pure white pigments, as I mentioned above to make up white stains. washes, glazes, or paints.

There is no white dye, what you have is probably a heavy bodied concentrate of titanium dioxide paste pigments.

[Jediscroller]

Hmm, either way, thanks for the heads up on homestead. They have a white something-or-other that stays transparent (Vivitone maybe?) and even offers excellent UV protection. Sounds perfect. I'll hit my local woodcraft up and see what they carry.
Thanks for the help all!