Nick D Edge Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 Does anyone have any suggestions about what dye or combination of dyes to use on maple to simulate butternut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Get some butternut and start playing with combinations ..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick D Edge Posted November 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Thank you and that is surely what I will do if no one has any suggestions. I can buy several cans of dye and give it a try. I was just hoping for a suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Butternut is in the walnut family and has a similar grain and texture...and it's not at all similar to maple. It also has a fairly unique color and one that probably won't be too easy to match. It goes without saying that if you want it to look like butternut, use butternut...but it is a somewhat less common domestic species than others so you may have a little trouble locating it. My local dealer does not carry it.If you're forced to use dyes or stains, I would suggest using an oak species instead of maple. Flat sawn white would probably be better than red. Walnut and butternut kind of have a grain that falls somewhere between the totally open and wild grain of oak, and the closed-pored, tight-grained look of maple. I'd err on the open side.Also, maybe it's just me, but I don't find butternut to be all that appealing visually...nothing like walnut anyway. But it's a great wood to carve, and I have to think if not for that one attribute, it wouldn't be used much at all for lack of interest. Not sure why you "need" to use butternut if you're not carving...I might consider a different species altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick D Edge Posted November 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 I saw Marc's bench build on Tommy Mac's show and loved the walnut/butternut combo.I am building a coffee and end tables and want the lighter wood for the top. I don't want to use butternut because of the softness of the wood. The white oak is a good suggestion for the grain pattern instead of the maple. I will give that a test. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 I've never seen butternut as I guess we don't have it down here. Would like to see a piece someone has made from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 I only have one piece of 5/4 butternut but it's in a huge stack of short stock we are moving or I would take a picture. Alder is similar in color and grain if you get the high grade stuff without the knots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted November 20, 2015 Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Thanks Steve. I have a knotty alder front door so it gives me an idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick D Edge Posted November 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2015 Butternut is more of a caramel color than walnut. Here is a link to a picture and wood description. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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