Replies

1. 
   Rich14 | Feb 28, 2007 08:44pm | #1

   Dave,

   There's not much to say about ebonizing, other than you need to apply stain long enough to get the wood the depth of color you need.

   There is no need to worry about alcohol vs water as the dye solvent. Either will do and the shellac overcoat will not cause the kind of problem you are worried about.

   But, I would use water because the dyeing process will be a lot easier to control, unless your project is small enough to be totally immersed in the dye solution. If it is, do that and keep checking the appearance by taking it out from time to time.

   If you will be brushing the dye on, use distilled water as the solvent.

   Mix as concentrated a dye solution as you can.

   In either case, after final sanding, raise the wood grain with several applications of distilled water, sand with 320 grit to level the grain. Repeat several times until the grain no longer comes up. Then wet the wood again just before applying the dye solution (wetting avoids possible lap marks) and keep it wet with dye solution for as long as necessary.

   There may still be a tiny amount of wood fuzz after dyeing. Take this down with 320 grit paper very carefully, to avoid cutting into the wood surface, then go over it with dye once more. That should do it.

   Rich