What woods do you prefer to use

[rtropp]

Mark,

Thanks for the links.  The African blackwood on the wood data base sounds interesting.  I might test some to see how it works.

Richard T

[captainbob]

 

OK Bob, you know I am going to try the steel chain link and vinegar. Sounds too simple to be true.

I will let you know how it turns out.

Richard T

 

It has to do with a chemical reaction of the rust/vinegar with the tannin in the wood.  I have used this on pine to give an aged look.  With pine you need to paint it with tea first to add the tannin.  I guess the walnut has enough tannin already.  An easier way to make the rust/vinegar is with steel wool, the rustier (darker) the better.

 

Bob

[rtropp]

Bob,

How do you make the "tea".  I have an image of cutting some bark off of a pine tree and soaking it in hot water. 
How far off am I

Richard T

[captainbob]

No.  This tea is like Liptons or any other tea bag you have.  The tea and vinigar mixture will make the wood look weathered but the vinigar mixture on walnut without the tea looked like ebony.

 

Bob

[mij]

I have just started to re-build HMS Sussex, the stem, stern and all the frames will be made from cherry and the keel from elm.

 

mij

[rtropp]

Bob,

Oh... just use Lipton's tea.  Sounds easy enough.

 

Mark, in post #32 left a link to an article on this and they call it "bark tea".  I wonder why? 

 

Richard T

[rtropp]

MIJ,

thanks for turning me on to your build.  I will enjoy watching.  I am considering a scratch build for my next boat but not sure if POF will be too much for my first attempt.  Nice to see how you are doing the work.  Please keep up the detail.  Its terrific.

 

Also, I wanted to ask.  What tool are you using for milling?  looks like a Proxxon rotary tool in a Proxxon stand but I can't see which rotary tool nor which stand it is. In another thread we are debating the merits of different mills and how to get started. 

Thanks,

Richard T

[mij]

Hi Richard

 

It`s a mill/drill complete system BFW 40 (ref: 718225).

 

mij

[mtaylor]

Bob,

Oh... just use Lipton's tea.  Sounds easy enough.

 

Mark, in post #32 left a link to an article on this and they call it "bark tea".  I wonder why? 

 

Richard T

 

It's made from bark of a certain tree.. see below:

 

I highlighted it in red and put the reference on where to buy it from the article.  The bark is  high in tannic acid.

 

What You’ll Need

• One quart of Heinz white vinegar
• (in a plastic bottle)
• One clean, large-mouth quart jar
• One pad of #0000 steel wool
• One stainless steel spoon for stirring
• One basket-type coffee filter
• One sieve
• Quebracho bark powder
• One pint jar (for mixing)
• Two small containers (quart jar lids are big enough) or squirt bottles
• Paper towels or two brushes
• Latex gloves

 

 

 

Supplies Van Dyke’s Taxidermy

800-843-3320 or

vandykestaxidermy.com

 

• 2 lbs. bark tan & dye (quebracho extract) #01347179, $6.39

Price correct at time of publication.

[captainbob]

Steel wool & vinegar is a very old staining technique, sometimes called "ebonizing." It works with the tannins in hardwoods. There is not enough tannin in any softwood to do a respectable job, but you can add tannin to the wood with tea.  What I originally saw was vinegar with steel rusting in it applied to walnut without any tea.  It immediately turned black with brown overtones.

 

What you need to do is make up some rusty vinegar, the rustier the better, a jar of tea and some scrap woods of different types.  Experiment with and without tea and see what happens.  If you look on the web for weathering wood, ebonizing wood, ageing wood, you will see many different techniques, any one of which may or may not give you the color you want.  The only way is to experiment to find your own results.  the only thing lost is a little scrap wood and less time than this thread has taken.

 

Bob

[LFrankCPA]

I am a 'no 3p' molder; that is, no power, no paint, and no sandPaper. I ran into a sale on ebay and purchased several hundred pen blanks and turning squares, about 35 different types of wood. If I need a specific color, I just find the right wood and slice of pieces for my need. Of course Dave supplies the timbering wood.

[Cronis]

Just out of curiousity has anyone tried using Honduran Mahogony in their models? I have quite a bit of it lying around from previous projects and was thinking about using it and walnut for a scratch build I'm planing. The Mahogony matches the color I'm looking for most closely in its natural state (I probably won't paint the model at all, just clear coat) and I love how the wood works, though I'm not sure about how it will work on such a small scale project.

[Richard Griffith]

Cronis, mahogany woods are beautiful and are often used on model ships.  Some mahagonies have open pores so if you are building a model in a very small scale, you may need to use a different wood, one with close pores and no annual rings.  Larger scales, generally about 1/48 and larger, are large enough for this wood. 

 

Good luck.

 

Duff

[sudomekh]

unfortunately ebony very expensive, so I bought hornbeam painted black chemical method (body model) ... the superstructure deck - yew ... oak-yards