Replies

1. 
   Biscardi | Jul 31, 2003 06:09am | #1

   Err. . .

   It aint going to work. Unstained mahoghany is sort of a pumpkin colour.

   I saw a table at Monticello that was unstained mahoghany with , I think, only linseed oil on it. It looks pretty good after 200+ years. I used some unstained mhoghany on a walnut mantle that is starting to just now mellow out after 13 years.

   Many people overstain mahoghany. I  think this is unwise as the wood will darken with age. Look at antiques made with overstained mahoghany.They have a muddy brown patina which obscures the beautiful grain.

   I like to use a 1lb cut of schellac and then Minwax Mahoghany stain. Wait about five hours and then apply Tung Oil (Formby's hogh gloss). This will actually remove some excess stain. This will leave a more mellow and lightly reddish stained surface. Try it on scrap and see what you think. Alternatively, buttonlac over the stain would give it more of an amber tint.

   Regards,

   Frank

1. 
   DavidP52 | Jul 31, 2003 05:34pm | #5

   Back in the days of mahogany boats we used to bleach it first, then apply a filler stain and wiipe down hard. This would give the wood both light and dark highlights and make lightly figured wood look highly figured. Did the same thing to teak, too.

   Rob, your method looks much like the results of the above.

   Edited 7/31/2003 10:37:02 AM ET by boatman

2. 
   DaveHeinlein | Jul 31, 2003 06:11am | #2

   One or two coats of Boiled Linsed Oil cut in half with mineral spirits will get the darkening started. You can also add urethane as a hardener to help it dry a little faster.In that case, mix it in 1/3's and substitue Naptha for the spirits. When its completely dry, coat with dewaxed shellac as a barrier coat.

3. 
   RMillard | Jul 31, 2003 04:20pm | #3

   Mahogany will take many years to darken.Aging pieces in sunlight is very risky, because the sun can cause considerable warping.  One way to alter the color with out using dyes, is to apply a mixture of hydrated lime and distilled water. This will instantly age the mahogany 100 plus years, and it seems to lock the color in, preventing further darkening. Experiment with different ratios of lime to water. After the mixture dries the mahogany will look like a wreck, being sort of orange and having a dusty appearance, but a coat of oil will bring out the deep red you are looking for. I use the Tried and True Danish oil since it doesn’t seem to excessively darken like boiled linseed oil can. I have attached a detail photo of a card table I finished this way.

   Rob Millard

   
1. 
   Biscardi | Jul 31, 2003 04:27pm | #4

   Rob,

   That is lovely. I qualify my previous remarks by saying that some treatment of the wood prior to a clear finish is desirable.Staining is apparently not the only option.

   Teach me more about the lime. Can you just use agricultural lime? What are the rough proportions of water to lime?

   Thanks

   Frank

1. 
   RMillard | Jul 31, 2003 11:52pm | #7

   I read as short and rather cryptic reference to using lime to darken mahogany, in some book. I liked the idea of it, since it would color the mahogany but leave my inlays alone. I used this method for several projects, but eventually abandoned it in favor of dyes, because of the control they give over the final color. The lime gives you a red, the only real control you have is over the intensity of that red. I still use lime in combination with dyes where I have control over the color, and yet get the advantage of the color stability of the lime. I finished a small cherry box this way many years ago, and the inside which has not been exposed to the light is the same color as the outside, which gets considerable direct light. I can’t say if this will hold true after many years, but cherry has a reputation for dramatic color changes in a fairly short time, so I’m encouraged that the lime imparts a very stable color.

   Here is what I did.

   I used lime that I bought in a garden supply store ( Frank’s) and added this to distilled water, with a ratio of about 1/8 cup to one quart water ( this is only a guess, since I really never measured it). I some times would dye the piece yellow before the applying the lime, to get golden highlights, but this proved to be unnecessary. Like all water based finishes you should raise the grain first. I have applied the mixture with a rag, brush and spray. As you might guess spray is the best, followed by a soft bristle brush. The rag did not work well. The stuff is pretty easy to work with, but you must work from the bottom up, since runs onto raw wood will leave a mark. Any such application marks can be fixed by using 400 grit paper and wet sanding the wood, with the lime/water mixture. In short the mixture is fairly forgiving, As I said before, after it dries it will look terrible. If the piece has a lot of the dusty look from the dried lime, I will wipe it off with a damp rag. After the mixture has dried at least overnight , slap on some oil, and you’ll see the final color.

   The main problem with this method is you can’t change the color after the first application, so experiment with your ratio of water to lime to get a color you like. This same method will also work on cherry and white oak. It has a minor effect on walnut and almost none on red oak, maple and birch .

1. 
   joelj84 | Nov 15, 2003 07:22pm | #8

   I bought pulverize dolomitic limestone.  Is this the wrong stuff?  Is the lime you use found in a can, a bag, brand name?  Need some more specifics...

1. 
   Steinmetz | Nov 15, 2003 08:39pm | #9

   Hydrated lime is used by plasterers to mix with guageing plaster to make smooth slow hardening plaster,When mixed with water, (slaking) lime develops lots of heat ,so it is prudent to use the next day .Also, it is caustic, so use eye protection. Stein

2. 
   RMillard | Nov 16, 2003 03:02pm | #10

   JJ,

   What I used is hydrated lime. It is commonly available in garden supply stores. I got mine from a chain names Franks. As far as I know it was sold under their brand name. I used another ?brand? sometime ago, but I can?t remember its name.

   Rob Millard

2. 
   harry11733 | Jul 31, 2003 07:27pm | #6

   Thanks for the reply. Yes I have been careful to not overheat the table but clearly I needed some way to speed the aging process. Your results look beautiful. I would like some more details if possible.

   David