Bombarde16 Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 A day late as I join this discussion. Did you end up going with a pore filler? My thought would have been to skip the pore filler. When folks like the Pottery Barn look of a black piece of wood, they think they like the look of the grain. All they actually see is the three dimensional texture of a ring porous wood. The "wood" could be stamped, injection molded plastic; but it's the texture that people like and pore filler would eliminate this. As long as you do just a thin coat that doesn't build to the point of filling that texture, you can go with simple black paint. Client will be happy and you're spared the a.) expense of India ink or b.) fuss of vinegar and rusty nails. Good hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian VanVreede Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 the customer doesn't want cerused oak.,they just want black but I still bought some timbermate so that I can practice on some samples. I thought about just using paint but I don't want to obscure the grain. Should I thin the paint or just apply straight from the can? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombarde16 Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Definitely thin the paint. Regardless of how you get there (stain, dye, paint, vinegar & nails) at color values that are that dark, you are obscuring the grain. As woodworkers, we have a Pavlovian panic reflex every time we see "obscure" and "grain" in the same sentence; but normal folks don't share this sentiment. Witness the popularity of the black "stained" oak look in modern production furniture. What you need in this kind of finish is to play with what photographers call "specular highlights". Each of the pores on the surface is a tiny concave divot. When clear coated with a semi-gloss or even a satin, they reflect light differently, either a.) highlighting the pores when the angle of view shows the overall surface as dark or b.) reflecting less light when the overall surface is reflecting more light. No matter where you stand, you have a black surface that gives the impression of revealing the wood's grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian VanVreede Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 What would you thin with? Just paint thinner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Are you coming up too light? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian VanVreede Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Yes, way to light, the only thing turning black is the grain. The high spots are almost brown.Doesn't look bad, its just that the client wants it black,black! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Are you spraying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Try applying the dye directly to the wood, omit the tint base. What did you sand your test board too? Try a lower grit 150. If going the stain route, try a heavy black glaze or a black stain over the dye. If you have limited finishing skills. Maybe paint is the way to go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian VanVreede Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Not spraying. Sanded the test boards only to 150 by hand. I tried applying the mixol directly to the board and still couldn't get it black. I think I am expecting to much from the dye... we will do a test board with paint and one with the rusty nail solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Not spraying. Sanded the test boards only to 150 by hand. I tried applying the mixol directly to the board and still couldn't get it black. I think I am expecting to much from the dye... we will do a test board with paint and one with the rusty nail solution. Your not expecting to much out of dye. Your expecting to much out of hand finishing. Try getting it as black as you can with dye. Spray some shellac out of a rattle can to seal it. Tint polyacrylic with 20% wb ebony stain. Normally it would be a piece of cake. Dye the wood black and seal, then tint with just a little black dye mixed into a qt of lacquer thinner with 2 oz of precat to tint to even the blackest of blacks. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian VanVreede Posted February 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2012 Update: the rusty nail solution is working awesome and the rusty screws have only been soaking in the vinegar for 24 hours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian VanVreede Posted February 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 Just put up a new post on my blog describing the rusty nail solution used to ebonize the oak! http://buckscountycraftmasters.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/black-oak/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 Awesome! Glad you have things worked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian VanVreede Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Ace, thanks for your input throughout this project, I really appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.