Stock staining methods and finished results

[rootnuke]

In my initial application of iron nitrate I applied it while still warm from the addition of the steel wool. As a result of the hot temp of the iron nitrate it made the stain result much darker to the maple. The next day I applied the same mix but at room temp. After each application of hot vs. room temp. the heat gun was applied. Here is a comparison pic of warm vs room temp.

Room Temp on left vs. Very warm on right

Is this a viable method to achieve different light and dark effects to curly maple with nitric acid?

What if I take the same room temp mixture and microwave it for a minute to the same temp as when the chemical reaction between the nitric acid and steel wool occurred?

To the best of my knowledge I applied the head gun for the same time period to both pieces of maple. Further the maple samples are from the same cut of wood.

Your experiences and input invited.

 

[jdhiii]

Very interesting. I don't know why there would be a difference other than a warmer liquid might be absorbed into the wood surface more readily. The heat activated reaction that produces the color is higher than the boiling temp of AF, so it might not be due to a difference in the chemical reaction. When I apply several 'coats' of AF before heating, I get a result that looks just like your samples above: more AF more color. Also the hotter I get the wood the darker it gets, below charring temp, that is. :redface:

 

[rootnuke]

...When I apply several 'coats' of AF before heating, I get a result that looks just like your samples above: more AF more color. Also the hotter I get the wood the darker it gets, below charring temp, that is. :redface:

Whenever you state "apply several coats", does that mean;:hmm:

A. You apply a coat of AF then without heating that application wait a few minutes and apply another coat of AF, then perform the final heating step.

B. You apply a coat of AF then heat it, then apply another coat, then heat it..over and over until the desired darkness is achieved.

C. None of the above, here is how I do it.

I think I understand your original post and interpret it to mean apply several coats over the coarse of a few miunutes then apply heat as the last and final step, but I just want to make sure. ::

 

[jdhiii]

Probably a, b, and c.

I have put successive 'coats' on without heating, and, after heating the wood is darker than with one application.

I have also added another application after heating and then heating again: end result is darker.

A third way I've tried this [I use Fe(No3)3 crystals and don't homebrew] is to mix up a stronger starting solution which also gives a darker color. The level of heat, of course, matters, too.

I also have added hydrochloric acid to the solution to see if it worked better as an acidic stain. (I haven't tried nitric acid added to the mix to see if that would have an affect.) The acidic version had a slightly different shade of the same brown and didn't affect the quality of the figure.

With all that, I haven't decided exactly how I will apply the stain, but I like it and will definitely use it. -d.

 

[rootnuke]

There is a paragraph in the Gunsmith of Grenville County located on page 331, second column, first paragraph...

Regarding Aqua Fortis Acid stain;

"...I can describe one variation that provided a beautiful yellowish color with brownish overtones. George Suiter at the Colonial Williamsburg Gunshop produced it using brass chips instead of iron."

I just could not get this out of my head so I decided to use brass instead of steel. The method in short goes like this;

1/4 Cup Aqua Fortis
1 Cup Distilled water
a few scraps of brass
combine above and let set overnight
end result of liquid is a blue liquid ::
remove brass scrap and apply liquid to sample curly maple
let dry over night
apply heat to dry maple to produce golden brown color
let dry for a day
wash entire curly maple in baking soda to kill acid
let dry for day
apply 50/50 True-Oil/Turpintine with soft cloth and rub like heck

Here is what the curly maple sample looks like with one smathering of oil;

Any thoughts on this variation of Aqua Fortis stain using brass instead of iron would be appreciated. ::

 

[LSU TIGER]

:hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

Happy Birthday, Rootnuke! Merry Christmas to all of you!

 

[rootnuke]

:hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

Happy Birthday, Rootnuke! Merry Christmas to all of you!

Thank You...yep, the ripe old age of 42.

A couple of things my grandparents use to tell me regarding age...

"I never met an old man that wasn't hell in his young days."
"I'd rather wear out than rust out."
"Its hell to get old".

I don't know why I mention the above sayings, they just happen to pop in my mind around birthday time.

oh, yea and what does :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: :hmm: mean? What do you think about only brass in AF or the combination of brass and iron in AF?

:hmm:

 

[LSU TIGER]

It means I'm thinking about it. Brass is copper and zinc. So, you made copper nitrate, I think... If the maple still turned russet, it makes me wonder if it's really the acid that does the work and not the iron or brass in solution... Like I said, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

 

[jdhiii]

It means I'm thinking about it. Brass is copper and zinc. So, you made copper nitrate, I think... If the maple still turned russet, it makes me wonder if it's really the acid that does the work and not the iron or brass in solution... Like I said, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

This is a question that would be nice to have answered. Does nitric acid alone, with or without heating, produce acceptable color? And is figure enhanced or is that a myth?

Of course, using nitrate of iron (ferric nitrate or 'the crystals') by itself does produce acceptable color and if it is the 'nitric' part of this that makes the color I would rather avoid handling the raw acid. So at least there is one alternative to using nitric acid alone, but is the color 'better' one way or the other or about the same?
-d. ::

 

[bioprof]

Wow! What a great thread! I just read the whole thread as I am close to getting ready to stain my Ohio rifle. This is a lot of information to digest at one sitting. First I learned about using aqua fortis to bring out the figure, then I read about using lye to increase the contrast in the curl, then I learned about using ferric nitrate solution instead of aqua fortis. That's a lot of permutations among pre-staining treatments, stains, and finishes. Thanks for the great post rootnuke. :master: Have you decided what to use on your gunstock yet? :thumbsup:

 

[rootnuke]

Aqua Fortis - pictures of AF stain creation and application process

 

[bob1961]

rootnuke....thanks fer them pictures of the brass you said ya would post when finished with ther mighty fine rifle ya done made....yer website looks real good also....i'll be snooping round there to find out some good tips it looks like ya got there....once again thank you :master: :thumbsup:............bob