| NOTES BY ARTIST: "Many of you have asked about the finish I use. I'd be happy to share my technique if you promise to follow all safety precautions because it is very dangerous. Typically I use Mahogany and Cherry in all my work. These two woods contain tannins that react with ultraviolet light and turn the wood a rich dark color over many many decades of expose. I have found that Lye will cause the same reaction within the wood. This color can't be reproduced any other way that I have found. You are not adding any color to the wood, you are simply changing the properties of the existing wood. Step 1 Place the piece in a diluted solution of Lye. I use 'Red Devil Lye' which is used to clean drains. Lye is very dangerous and a respirator and full gloves, clothing and eye protection must be worn. I usually let the piece soak for around 20 minutes. Step 2 Once you have the color you like, remove the piece from the Lye solution. If we were to let the piece dry and finish as normal the piece would be ruined because the Lye would continue to react within the wood changing the color and destroying fibers. We must neutralize the Lye by placing the piece in a diluted solution of vinegar for a minute or so. Step 3 Rinse the piece with water. Step 4 Apply sawdust all over the piece to soak up any moisture. Let it sit around 30 minutes. Step 5 Blow off all sawdust with a compressor. Step 6 This is the part that gets different depending on whether I'm using Cherry or Mahogany. Mahogany A couple coats of Teak Oil followed by a couple coats of Paste Wax. Cherry A couple coats of Sanding Sealer followed by a couple coats of Paste Wax. So that's my little secret. I'm an engineer and can't help but to test variable after variable and compare the results. I've tested everything I can think of and this works the best for me." |
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