Enhancing veining

[overfifty]

I was cutting out a Harley for my last employer from some plywood he gave me with the intention of painting the bike  a gloss black and mounting it against a neutral backer. Half way through it occurred to me that as the bike is black the "veining" is probably going to disappear. His bike is black and I'm sure I'll get a funny look if I finish it in another color. Any suggestions? Thanks, Barry.

[jerry1939]

Hi, 
I read somewhere on this site that Harley is THEE most aggressive company about anyone going after their copyrighted stuff.

Don't know if you need to check with Harley before proceeding.

[spirithorse]

I don't know the dimensions of what you are working on but, if
the pattern is large enough, you can use a spiral blade for the veining and
the kerf will be larger than if you had used a flat blade.
God Bless! Spirithorse

[EIEIO]

I've done some veining with a larger spiral blade so it will stand out. You might consider filling the veining with a light color polymer clay and baking, then sanding, it. If you use black walnut for the blank then you'll get a very dark color w/o paint, especially if you burn the walnut in the oven while baking the clay. You can get exotic plywood including walnut, or add a walnut veneer on BB Ply before you cut.

[overfifty]

Thanks Jerry. It's just a general outline that kind of, sort of looks like a Harley... could be an Indian. Thanks, Spirithorse. It's one of Grampa's from "that other scroll saw site". Thanks Ray... a polymer clay is worth pusuing if for no other reason than to see how it works. Ordinarily I would avoid painting a project but the bike and backer are materials he gave me. I want to demonstrate my appreciation. Thanks again all.

[Rapid Roger]

I wouldn't paint it at all! Especially black! I realize that his bike is black but, If you just stain the wood with a dark walnut stain it will still show the grain of the wood and represent a dark or black color and the veining will stand out better and be contrary to the wood grain as well there by showing up much better.
By painting any color it hides the grain of the wood and it may as well be plastic.
Just my two cents.

Rog

[Jim Finn]

I am not sure how this will work with your project, but I fill in veining in my inlay projects with a paste made of white glue and sanding powder from my random orbital sander.  I have also used powdered chalk made for chalk lines, blue or white with the glue.  I apply it using an old credit card as a squeegee and sand smooth.

[mickey357]

A lot of times to enhance the veins I'll take my wood burning kit and burn the lines before I oil the wood. Sort of makes them bolder and stand out more. Just my 2 cents worth.