Replies

1. 
   SEBDESN | Oct 09, 2004 11:14pm | #1

   I made some a few years ago by putting them in a pot on top of my shop heater, One of those things with kerosene that sits on the floor. I added water to it when it dried out and stewed the stuff for a couple of weeks, then strained it and bottled it. worked fine...

2. 
   301 | Oct 10, 2004 07:22am | #2

   I think the purpose of the ammonia is to keep mold from growing in it.  I soak mine in water, strain it and then add some ammonia to it along with a few drops of dishwashing detergent.  Then whenever I need to use some I hold my nose, open the lid and splash a little more ammonia in.  If you use lemon scented ammonia it helps with the smell...a little bit. 

3. 
   Jim_McGee | Oct 27, 2004 05:07pm | #3

   Can you accelerate the process by boiling the husks?

1. 
   Chairwright | Oct 27, 2004 08:51pm | #4

   I don't know.  Probably it couldn't hurt, boil or steam them.  But it's pretty fast.  I mixed up regular grocery store ammonia with a bunch of green to brown walnuts and 2 weeks later I had a really strong dye.  It will be absolutely great for dying walnut sapwood.

2. 
   lwj2 | Oct 28, 2004 03:43am | #5

   Can you accelerate the process by boiling the husks?

   ********************

   Don't think boiling continuously would do much, but chopping them coarsely will speed it up, puts more hull in contact with your solvent.

   The ammonia may act as a mordant or catalyst, I'm not sure of the chemistry.

   The one time I used walnut hulls I chopped them coarsely, placed them in a stainless steel pot, covered with distilled water (65¢/gal at Kroger at the time), brought them to a boil for about ten minutes then poured them into a hot Mason jar, sealed the jar with a band and lid -- mostly to ensure killing off any bugs/microbes/fungi. Left the jar in the basement for about three months, filtered through multiple layers of old tee shirt into a clean jar.

   As I recall, I used it on some poplar and some maple, worked fairly well.

   Good luck.Leon Jester, Roanoke VA

   Q: How do you know when a politician is lying?

   A: His lips are moving.

3. 
   301 | Oct 28, 2004 06:24am | #6

   It will likely make your house smell like a dead animal...nothing smells quiet so bad.