Fumed Oak

[gikrobson]

Advice needed please- I have been experimenting fuming white oak with ammonium hydroxide.
The results give me, depending on duration of exposure, a range of colour from black to grey. Upon application of linseed it gives a rich colour but not the golden honey or rich brown of the 1910 pieces I've seen.

Any suggestions how to acheive this golden brown colour using fuming techniques?
What am I missing out?

Advice please

Best regards from Brighton
Gerard

 

[Chrispy]

When you say you are using white Oak do you mean American White Oak if so you probably would be better using English or European Oak to start with, and I'm not sure fuming is the way to get honey gold, maybe a water stain made from cold tea would be worth a try.

 

[gikrobson]

Thanks.
It is European white oak.
I have been following the traditional methods as per Stickley / Mission furniture as found in the Dover books.

Will perservere!

 

[Sgian Dubh]

When you say you are using white Oak do you mean American White Oak if so you probably would be better using English or European Oak to start with...

Can you explain why because I can't think of a compelling reason? Slainte.

 

[Chrispy]

When you say you are using white Oak do you mean American White Oak if so you probably would be better using English or European Oak to start with...

Can you explain why because I can't think of a compelling reason? Slainte.

I must admit I did assume the OP was trying to match an old piece of furniture, so my assumption was that that was more likely to be English or European rather than the American which is now often found to be stocked by many timber suppliers today and to start with the right material will only make things easier to match up at the finishing post.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Chrispy, with regard to character and physical properties of the American white oaks and European oaks (Quercus robur and Quercus petraea) it would generally take a scientific, laboratory type examination of small samples to determine differences. As far as working properties are concerned, including take up of dye or stain and reaction to chemicals such as ferrous sulphate and ammonia there's little to differentiate one from another, notwithstanding the fact that oak samples from a specific tree species, e.g., Quercus robur, taken from different trees that have experienced divergent growing conditions and suchlike may react very differently to such chemicals.

There are those that claim to be able to superficially look at two planks of wood, one being European oak and the other being one of the several American "white oaks" and can distinguish between the two. Granted, it is possible on very rare occasions to be able to do so, but anyone that claims this ability with just about every example placed before them will rapidly be shown to be naught but a fool.

What I find intriguing about the original question is the report that ammonia is turning the wood samples grey or black. This colour change is generally accomplished with ferrous sulphate (green copperas), the same stuff used to make harewood out of maples. I can't ever recall seeing ammonia fuming of oak resulting in greys and blacks: rather the result are browns, usually with an overlaying green hue which disappears as the polish is applied.

Something seems amiss to me in the original question, but I can't identify what the problem may be with the description we've got. Slainte.

 

[marcros]

I had a quick go at fuming as an experiment- i got a greyish brownish greeny uninspiring finish. Nothing like the 3 tones on http://www.robertthompsons.co.uk/_shop/tables/test-11/ but I didnt think to put any polish on top. I might have another try at the weekend though.

 

[Chrispy]

Richard I'm glad you agree then that although chemically and biologically the same we can still spot the differences in our cousins from across the pond!