stain for maple

[bob in the woods]

I have successfully used a vinegar/iron solution in the past for staining maple.  It takes a while to make the solution. I'm wondering if muriatic acid would work a bit faster disolving the iron, and if anyone has tried this or other acids to make a stain ?

[Chocktaw Brave]

I don’t have your answer, but will be watching this closely. I cannot get iron nitrate shipped to Alaska without paying high hazmat( kinda like black powder).
So I’m thinking of trying the homemade stuff. What do you consider a long wait? My rifle is still quite aways out from stock finishing.

[Jerry V Lape]

If you are in a hurry cut up the iron into small pieces or even catch the cuttings from a file. 

[smart dog]

Chocktaw Brave,
Don't mess with nitric acid. You should be able to buy ferric nitrate in powder form from the Science Company and have it shipped to Alaska with no problems.  Mix that with water and you have the same solution as iron dissolved in nitric acid.

dave

[rich pierce]

I have successfully used a vinegar/iron solution in the past for staining maple.  It takes a while to make the solution. I'm wondering if muriatic acid would work a bit faster disolving the iron, and if anyone has tried this or other acids to make a stain ?

Ferric nitrate (reddish brown color) is a salt made by the oxidation of iron by nitric acid.

Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) oxidizing iron would give ferric chloride or iron III chloride which is black with some green. Not a good look except for inks. When interacting with wood, who knows? If it was good everyone would use it, I figure.

Apologies to Long John and Mad Monk who could explain better.

[bob in the woods]

I have successfully used a vinegar/iron solution in the past for staining maple.  It takes a while to make the solution. I'm wondering if muriatic acid would work a bit faster disolving the iron, and if anyone has tried this or other acids to make a stain ?

Ferric nitrate (reddish brown color) is a salt made by the oxidation of iron by nitric acid.

Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) oxidizing iron would give ferric chloride or iron III chloride




which is black with some green. Not a good look except for inks. When interacting with wood, who knows? If it was good everyone would use it, I figure.

Apologies to Long John and Mad Monk who could explain better.

Thank you very much for that, Rich.  I'll stick with the vinegar

[Chocktaw Brave]

Nope, will not ship to Alaska.



So back to home made solutions, how long does it take to make your own?

[smallpatch]

Ferric nitrate crystals should ship to Alaska,
It’s still the US, and USPS will ship it.

[Ron Scott]

Try Ebay for a source for Ferric. Selers there are not likely to label the package as to what is in it.

[WadePatton]

I just checked with the seller "thescienceco" on Ebay and Steve replied that they can indeed mail it to Alaska. Listing is for 100g lab grade.

Per this item: https://www.ebay.com/itm/284153711319?hash=item4228e18ad7:g:OnkAAOSw1T9gBzR~

So I'd give them shot.

[Chocktaw Brave]

Thanks! I think it worked.
Bob, Sorry for the thread interruption. I’d still like to know how to make it. And I see your still waiting for an answer for the solution.

[HighUintas]

I would just take filings or steel wool and toss it into a cup of vinegar. Then wait a long time. Potentially let it evaporate or heat it to speed that up, add more vinegar to keep working on the steel, and eventually you'd have a decently strong solution of Fe2O3. It will still contain acetate, but I don't know what affect that would have on the finish color

[Chocktaw Brave]

So to prevent drying out over time, could you seal the mixture in say a mason jar or paint can? Does it need oxygen, or off gas?

[WadePatton]

So to prevent drying out over time, could you seal the mixture in say a mason jar or paint can? Does it need oxygen, or off gas?

The problem with storing iron acetate in a mason jar is that eventually the acidity will eat the lid. So just use a plastic replacement cap.  I'm no chemist but I recall a fellow (who knows more than I) saying that vinegar loses it's power if left open to the air. It was something about vapor pressure.  In some of the old long threads here at ALR some guys speak of keeping iron vinegar mixtures going for years by adding more iron when necessary or more vinegar. Pretty sure Taylor was a party to those threads.

Back in the day when I was studying up this stuff and reading all the old threads I could find, I made up two batches. One of them was ugly gray. The other was a lovely brown/red/rusty color.  BUT the kicker is that the gray stuff gave a redder finish and the lovely brown stuff turned the wood gray.  So TRY many things, test them all before committing to a real piece of work. And then the tops rusted out. I got better colors from AF after a couple coats of cheap wine (tannins) than I could get from the IA I made--on that one piece. Others here have gotten great results from IA.

If you dig around you can find those old threads and I do recommend such.