Da Ya Smell Smoke

[Kenm810]

The wood in the Ship carving is ¾” x 8” x 18” Red Oak and taken from a photo I saw Online. Because of the chip out and fuzzes of the red oak, I use an old antiquing tick of soaking the wood for a few minutes to keep it cool and preventing it from cracking. The go after the fuzzes with an LP or Acetylene torch, spending a little extra time in the deep spots in the carving and on grain lines to help them take on extra color, it easy and with a little practice and a few smoke alarms going off you can get some pretty dramatic effects.
And yes I have totally smoked a few projectshttp://www.carvewright.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif ; I just tell Barb their exceptionally old antiqueshttp://www.carvewright.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif.
On this one I used red mahogany min wax stain and top coated it with 3 layers of nitrocellulose clear lacquer.

Between the tall Ship Ted caved and photo from the other post, the oval carving with the rope around it that Sarge carved. I want to combine the two as a new project.

Thanks for the interest

[IM2HAPPI]

I like it, it does look antique. I'll have to try it sometime. Thanks for yet another good tip.

[rjustice]

Ken,

This is a beautiful piece of work. I really like the effect around the ship.
Thanks for sharing the technique with us. I had read in the forum a while back about someone removing the fuzzies with a torch... I tried it, and welllllll.... Lets just say that one wont be making it to the gallery. I didnt know about soaking it in water. Do you let it sit over night to dry back out before putting on the finish? pop it in the microwave?? hmm?

Also, what are the benefits of the special lacquer you used?

Thanks much,

Ron

[Kenm810]

Ron,
Letting the project dry over night in the winter will do the job, but this time of year a hour or two in the sun or warm air dose the trick.

Wet wood and microwaves don't mix well when the microwaves excite the water molecules they can expand very rapidly and split the wood -- or in some cases remove the door. (I won't go into how I know that http://www.carvewright.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_eek.gif )

As for the benefits of the special lacquer, well I bought some for a couple of night stands I built a year or two ago and there was still a little left in the can when I cleaned my paint cabinet last month -- so I used it, I guess that the only benefit was I didn't waste it by throwing it out. http://www.carvewright.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_razz.gif

[Bill]

The go after the fuzzes with an LP or Acetylene torch, spending a little extra time in the deep spots

Ken, after you burn your plaque take a wire brush to it and brush with the grain you will see a very nice antique appearance to your piece.

[rpringle]

Ken,

Very nice work and good sugestions.
I'm working my way up to quality work like yours.

Russ

[Kenm810]

Bill your absolutely right, a little wire brushing can give amazing results
here's a small piece of wood I use as an example, as you can see the one side is plain but the other has been touched, wire brushed, and finished with a touch of white wash to make it to appear as old barn wood.
And Russ I'm still learning and working to do better just like you and most of the folks here. http://www.carvewright.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif