Just messing around the other day and brushed some pontypool asphaltum onto a native cherry board i had laying around. After brushing it on, i wiped it all off and let it dry for a couple of days. Then a couple coats of thin dewaxed shellac and several coats of lacquer. Turned out to be a beautiful dark bloodwood color. Almost a perfect match for Ethan Allens dark cherry stain but a lot easier to apply. (and no blotches)
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
Replies
Neat trick. Any read as to whether it was a chemistry thing with cherry or if it would do the same thing on any wood?
/jvs
No, it's just the blackness of asphaltum. It dries slow, so the degree of desired darkness can be controlled. Asphaltum is not pure black. More of a real real real dark brown.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Nice idea. I have done similar stuff with lye, but asphaltum would be a less exciting way to do it. Probably, to quote a well known soon-to-be felon, "a good thing...."
/jvs
Gilsonite is a form of asphalt that has been used for many decades as a colorant in stains. It gives a very nice warm brown that looks like a mixture of pigment and dye. It works well under lacquers, but can give adhesion problems with some finishes.
I'm told that a lot of the "rustic" furniture that comes out of Mexico is stained with asphalt thinned with gasoline -- no OSHA or EPA in Mexico!
Michael R.
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