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General Category => General Scroll Saw Talk => Topic started by: Crabbyboater on June 01, 2011, 08:18:47 pm
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I just finished a piece, cut from poplar, then applied a 50/50 mix of BLO and mineral spirits. It came out very light and I would like to darken it, maybe using another stain on top of the one I just applied. Can this be done? Any ideas?
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Hey Crabby, Try it on a piece of scrap. I haven't tried it so I don't know if it will work or not.
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Crabboat.
Is it strong enough to sand back to the wood, if so you could stain it then.
Gabby
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My understanding is that poplar doesn't do well with stain ????
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What does it do Marion? Blotchy or ????
Gabby
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I have had poor results trying to 'stain' poplar...it has gotten 'blotchy' and does not stain evenly.
Also the stain reacts in strange ways with the 'color' variations in poplar.
When I use poplar I just "BLO' it!
~~~GB~~~
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Just pulled this from another site ......
Staining poplar is another matter entirely. In its native form, poplar tends to take stain in a very blotchy manner. It is imperative that all surfaces that will be stained be prepared properly with a couple of coats of a pre-stain wood conditioner. This will allow the stain to be applied much more evenly, and will make the grain of the poplar pop a bit more.
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Ain't worth the effort! Use Aspen or Maple!
~~~GB~~~
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I often use stain on a project after using a 50/50 mix of BLO. It will make the stain more uniform and acts as a conditioner to help prevent blotching. I use it mostly on pine but have used it on Red Oak, White Oak, Spruce, and POPLAR. Always test on a scrap piece of material and try to find a scrap with the same grain as the project.
MIKE
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Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I had already glued the base on and sanding wasn't an option, so I followed the suggestions given, cut up three small pieces of the same wood, gave them a coat of 50/50 BLO & MS, and then tried three different colored stains on them, over the BLO. This worked, so I just applied a new darker stain over the BLO and it looks fine.
I know poplar isn't a favorite wood around here, but I had a 6' piece and had to use it SOMEWHERE! You know, "Waste not, want not."
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OH! Wait now Crabby....I personally think popular is a VERY GOOD wood for scrolling or any other wood working project. I use it allot for all kind of things. I have made blanket chests, wat-not shelves and allot of scrolling works out of it. The reason I like it is... It is fairly inexpensive, it machines well and you can make it look like any kind of wood you want to.
The real secret (if you want to call it that) is after you have assembled the project, give it a one pound cut of shellac and sand lightly before you use any stain. Then lightly sand it again (400 grit) and put on your top coat of polyurethane.
To get a 1# cut of shellac just pour out a bit of shellac from the can and mix it with an equal amount of alcohol. (The shellac you buy at the hardware store is usually a 2# cut.) Once the shellac has soaked into the wood and the alcohol has evaporated you have sealed the grain of the wood but, it will raise the grain and cause "fuzzy's" hence the need to lightly sand with 220 grit sand paper. Then apply stain and rub it in or wipe it off to the desired shade. Now using 400 grit paper sand lightly to get that "baby butt smooth" feel and apply a coat or two of wipe on poly. You can use gloss, semi gloss or satin poly, it doesn't matter. Now, to carry it a bit further....SAND WITH BROWN PAPER SACK between coats.....Don't believe me? Try it you will like it!!!!!
I have made popular look just like walnut or mahogany this way.
Rog
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(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z299/rapidroger/2010%20WWA%20Contest/AssembledIMG_0759.jpg)
Case in point. Yep, it is ALL poplar wood.
Rog
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Beautiful chest Roger! That is really putting your money where your mouth is.
Gabby
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I agree with roger. Even the brown paper bag trick. Try it...it works! Poplar is one of my favorite woods.
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Thanks for all that info, Rog. I'm still a novice, so that's really helpful to me. BTW, I read about the brown paper in a post quite some time ago and have been using it ever since. It works great.
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I'm with Roger. I use poplar all the time. It cuts very well on the scrollsaw and I usually use Watco Danish oil and have had no problem with uneven finishes.
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this might be a really dumb question but what is BLO?
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Boiled linseed oil
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dgman, thanks for the info. Avail at HomeDepot or Lowes?
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Yes. Any paint department or paint store. I mix it 50/50 with mineral spirits. Keep it in an old mason jar. I have several old metal baking pans I use to soak my projects in. Let them soak for five of ten minutes, then wipe off the excess with a clean lint free rag. I use old tee shirts for this. I use compressed air to blow the oil out of small areas. I let the project dry on an old baking rack. Let the project dry for a couple days, depending on humidity, Then I topcoat with a semi gloss spray lacquer.
Make sure you don't leave your oily rags in a pile. lay them flat or hang them across a trash can till dry. The oily rags will build up heat and start a fire if they are piled up!
When I am done soaking I pour the oil back into the mason jar with a tight lid to keep it fresh for next time.
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Julie, when you use Watco Danish oil on poplar, do you use a sealer first? Any special preparations?
John
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hey guys and gals.
did anyone try to use pigments in oil?
I.e. Alkanna root?
http://www.mehr-als-werkzeug.de/category/dickcatalog/Pulver-und-Pigmente-3752_3756/detail.jsf (http://www.mehr-als-werkzeug.de/category/dickcatalog/Pulver-und-Pigmente-3752_3756/detail.jsf)
an other idea could be pine tar as pigment or finish, although as finish i guess it smears.( and smells)
http://www.mehr-als-werkzeug.de/product/705347/Pine-Tar-Furutjaera/detail.jsf (http://www.mehr-als-werkzeug.de/product/705347/Pine-Tar-Furutjaera/detail.jsf)
I guess there will be several other brands with oil pigment powder or paste?
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John, I do not seal the wood. I dip it in Danish oil - let it sit on there for a few minutes - then wipe it off. If I think it needs it, I will buff it down with brown paper and reapply the danish oil. Then spray it with poly.
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Sanding with brown paper. Now that's one I hadn't heard of. I know of storing bowls turned form green wood in paper bags to control the drying rate for less cracking, but not sanding with them. I will give this a try.
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Hey Tom, I have been using the brown paper bag for a long time. It works great between coats of spray lacquer. Cut a piece of the paper and fold it in half like you would a piece of sandpaper. It is like sanding with 600 to 800 grit sand paper without the grit residue. It's great for taking out any dust nibs in the finish and for a final polish.
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Thanks DGMan. I will definitely try it. I'm always unsatisified with the final finish i get, so definitely open to do this.