Several stain processes on sugar maple

[Dennis Glazener]

I think I told someone I would post photos of this rifle when I made photos of it. This was a very dense/hard piece of sugar maple. Very little curl. I first put two applications of tannic acid/water (1-4 ratio) on, letting dry between coats. The next day I put a heavy solution of Ferriac Nitrate acid on the stock (not sure of the ratio but as received in the bottle), let dry then heated it with a heat gun. It was not very dark so I decided to then put a heavy coat of Aqua Fortis on, let dry overnight then heated it with a heat gun. Finally got to the darkness that you see in the photos below.

I was ok with the final color but would have expected it to have been much darker than what I got.

[PPatch]

That is a very nice rifle Dennis, stock looks great even if it isn't as dark as you wanted. Did the stock turn green when you overnighted that AQ? I had one do that once and it turned out very dark.

dave

[Marcruger]

It may have taken a while to get to that color Dennis, but it is a handsome shade.  I like the satiny finish too.  Best wishes,   and God Bless,  Marc

[rich pierce]

Nice rifle. I like the contrast with that shiny lock!

[oldtravler61]

 Dennis nicely done. Oldtravler

[David Rase]

Dennis, Where/who did you purchase the Ferric Nitrate from?  I think I have a bottle of Ferric Nitrate,  just need help with mixing it, e.g ratio, with what.  I will go check the shop and see.
David

[Dennis Glazener]

That is a very nice rifle Dennis, stock looks great even if it isn't as dark as you wanted. Did the stock turn green when you overnighted that AQ? I had one do that once and it turned out very dark.

dave

I don't remember if it did but remember I had already blushed a the Ferric Acid with the heat gun.
Dennis

[Dennis Glazener]

Dennis, Where/who did you purchase the Ferric Nitrate from?  I think I have a bottle of Ferric Nitrate,  just need help with mixing it, e.g ratio, with what.  I will go check the shop and see.
David

David,
I bought that bottle of Ferric Nitrate from Kent Smith (member here). I think Kent had the bottles for awhile and I have had it for at least 4 years! I mixed it 1 part Ferric Nitrate to 4 parts water but I think I saw where that was a strong mix, but I wanted dark.
I just looked at the bottle and it is marked Chem Scientific LLC Norwood MA
Dennis

[Dennis Glazener]

Nice rifle. I like the contrast with that shiny lock!

Yep, but I think that is one I did before I found the "master" lock polisher

[KentSmith]

I buy all my nasty chemicals from Antec in Louisville KY.  Years ago i bought several large bottles of ferric nitrate crystals and sold one to Dennis at the Old Williamsburg show. I had made up a large batch of stain with diluted nitric acid and iron and a batch with crystals and distilled water. I had enough for years and sold most of both batches by now. To tell the truth the crystals seem to make a more rich brown than the acid on that batch. I find for the acid i need to really have a strong reaction going to get a rich brown. A mild reaction seems to yield a more chocolate color with less redish hue. The crystals yield the color i want without the excitement. They are also cheaper without all the hazzardous material handling costs

[elkhorne]

Kent,
Do you remember the proportions of ferric nitrate crystals to distilled water that you used? I have ferric nitrate crystals I purchased from a chemical company online that was Scientific something. One article I read suggested mixing until you got a light yellow coloration to the mixture. Does that sound like anything you did? Thanks.
elkhorne

[smallpatch]

Dave,
I've been using the same jar from The Science Company, for several,years now.
It came in about a pint sized jar, 125grams of powder, and I just filled it up with distilled water.
Not very scientific, but it works.

[KentSmith]

I was adding water to a table spoon of crystals until all the crystals dissolved, about 1:4.  It's not very scientific.