Hey guys, I am whiskering my stock and am using distilled water. The stripes in the maple are turning slightly dark after whiskering. I thought the distiller water would prevent this. I will be using Aqua Fortis and was making sure the acid will work correctly? Thanks
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Whiskering my stock
- Thread starter Gobbletn
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I doubt if the water is darkening the stripes. As you sand smoother and smoother, the stripes start standing out from the bare wood. If you burnished the bare wood with a polished piece of wood or metal, you would see the stripes stand even more, and without water.
That's probably all that's happening, the wood is getting smoother and the stripes are starting to come alive. Bill
That's probably all that's happening, the wood is getting smoother and the stripes are starting to come alive. Bill
I forgot something. The direction of the grain in the curl acts as "end grain", which can trap some of the sawdust as you sand, especially when wet. That may also be what you're seeing. Still, just normal everyday stuff, won't hurt a thing. Bill
jdkerstetter
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What tool are you whiskering with? Sandpaper? If so, you are trapping the abrasives in the grain. Sandpaper does more damage than it has benefits.
Distilled water? I never worried about DW for burnishing. Mixing finishes maybe, but not whiskering. Hmmm?
I suggest the judicious use of scrapers for whiskering followed by burnishing with gray or white Scotch Brite or even crumpled brown paper bags or heaby canvas/denim...whatever suits you.
Enjoy, J.D.
Distilled water? I never worried about DW for burnishing. Mixing finishes maybe, but not whiskering. Hmmm?
I suggest the judicious use of scrapers for whiskering followed by burnishing with gray or white Scotch Brite or even crumpled brown paper bags or heaby canvas/denim...whatever suits you.
Enjoy, J.D.
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Really dumb question... what is whiskering?
Robert Egler
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raising little 'whiskers' on wood (usually with water or some liquid) and then sanding them smooth, to get an overall smoother surface in the end
Squirrel Tail said:
Traditionally, broken glass was (often) used to scrape and smooth the wood after wetting. I have heard some builders still use that technique.
Robert Egler
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Yes, I shouldn't have used the term "sanding" it smooth again. Scraping it smooth would have been a better description. Sanding again only gets you back to where you started.
I don't agree with "Sanding again only gets you back to where you started.".
The reason for whiskering is that any time wood is removed, whether by scraping or sanding some of the fibers will be uncovered and they will be free to move.
If subjected to a fluid like water most of them will continue to lay where they are but a few will suddenly say, "I'm FREE" and they will stand up proudly.
These are the whiskers and we want them removed so they don't continue their behavior when the stains, aqua-fortis or finishing oils are applied.
While the surface is still wet or damp, not much can be done so the wood must be allowed to dry.
Once dry, the whiskers hardness will hold it firmly in position.
Because these non conformists were part of the grain they will be pointing pretty much in one direction. To discover this direction (it is important), rub the back of your hand on the surface parallel with the wood grain.
In one direction it will feel pretty smooth.
In the other direction it will feel like a bristle brush. Remember this bristle brush direction.
With the whiskers fully dry I prefer to use a piece of brand new 220 grit sandpaper to remove them. Used sandpaper will just crush them back down so they can pop up later.
Using almost no pressure, I very lightly stroke the sandpaper in the bristle brush direction.
This will cut off all of the standing whiskers without exposing any new wood fibers on the woods surface.
Very little "sandpaper dust" will be seen on the paper because only the proud (and now removed) whiskers are cut off.
It only takes a very few strokes of new sandpaper to completely "whisker" the surfaces of a stock.
As for water darkening the curl's stripes, all that is being seen is the dark "end grain" of the curl.
This end grain is why the stripes are visible and look different than the adjacent areas of the surface.
Just let the water dry out and the contrast will return to the pre-wetted look.
The reason for whiskering is that any time wood is removed, whether by scraping or sanding some of the fibers will be uncovered and they will be free to move.
If subjected to a fluid like water most of them will continue to lay where they are but a few will suddenly say, "I'm FREE" and they will stand up proudly.
These are the whiskers and we want them removed so they don't continue their behavior when the stains, aqua-fortis or finishing oils are applied.
While the surface is still wet or damp, not much can be done so the wood must be allowed to dry.
Once dry, the whiskers hardness will hold it firmly in position.
Because these non conformists were part of the grain they will be pointing pretty much in one direction. To discover this direction (it is important), rub the back of your hand on the surface parallel with the wood grain.
In one direction it will feel pretty smooth.
In the other direction it will feel like a bristle brush. Remember this bristle brush direction.
With the whiskers fully dry I prefer to use a piece of brand new 220 grit sandpaper to remove them. Used sandpaper will just crush them back down so they can pop up later.
Using almost no pressure, I very lightly stroke the sandpaper in the bristle brush direction.
This will cut off all of the standing whiskers without exposing any new wood fibers on the woods surface.
Very little "sandpaper dust" will be seen on the paper because only the proud (and now removed) whiskers are cut off.
It only takes a very few strokes of new sandpaper to completely "whisker" the surfaces of a stock.
As for water darkening the curl's stripes, all that is being seen is the dark "end grain" of the curl.
This end grain is why the stripes are visible and look different than the adjacent areas of the surface.
Just let the water dry out and the contrast will return to the pre-wetted look.
jdkerstetter
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Perhaps this post will help someone else. :idunno: It's in the public domain now. Enjoy, J.D.
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Must you use a heat source to dry the area to do the whiskering or can you just let it dry naturally? Granted, the heat source will speed things up, but I don't know if that is the reason why it is used, or if it does something else in the process.
This is the essence of what you want to do. Took me awhile to figure it out. That and I found it necessary to be patient and let the surface of the stock dry before whiskering. I've never used heat but I suppose that would work. If I had to guess, the grayness you are seeing is likely due to residual moisture from wetting the stock.
Curly wood is called "curly" because unlike regular wood which has straight grain, the grain curls up and down in little waves.
Where the waves are cut off when they meet the surface, they become the same as "end grain".
End grain will absorb water or stains and oils much more readily than the grain that is running parallel with the surface like the wood between the 'stripes'.
Because it absorbs more fluid in these "waves", they take longer to dry.
That is why several of us said to "just let it dry".
Oh! I'm happy now! :grin:
I found the cat!
Where the waves are cut off when they meet the surface, they become the same as "end grain".
End grain will absorb water or stains and oils much more readily than the grain that is running parallel with the surface like the wood between the 'stripes'.
Because it absorbs more fluid in these "waves", they take longer to dry.
That is why several of us said to "just let it dry".
Oh! I'm happy now! :grin:
I found the cat!
