Quilted Maple - How to finish

Rennie Heuer

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I am building something using quilted maple and don't know the best finish to use to bring up the quilted figure. Would appreciate some direction.
 
Oil based finishes tend to pop the figure nicely, as do Transtint dyes. I particularly like hitting the wood with a darkish dye, then sanding that back before applying the clear finish. The dye will soak in and remain in the softer parts of the figure, thus highlighting them. I've had good success using the sanded-back dye trick on turned pieces, although I've also typically followed the sanded-back dye with a lighter color, then clear. I have typically used black as my dark dye, then blues or greens as the "color" layer, but I doubt that'd be a look you're going for. For a non-colored look, you could use some shade in the amber/brown family, then sand that back and just go straight to the clear (or an amber-tinted clear).

Here's a couple examples of a quilted maple that's been dyed and sanded before getting an amber/clear coat:

MK 1957 Quilt.jpg MK 1964 Quilt.jpg
 
I call it a guitar finish - look it up on youtube

There are lots of methods. I have played with a few but never really made anything. The transtint and sanding is pretty popular. Tiger Maple and Quilted Maple are closely related. I have pulled Tiger maple out of my firewood pile and dried it well. Great samples.

With Transtint dyes you are not limited to only one thing. You can get creative and make a starburst, or fade out deep red core to a black outer. You can mix red and yellow and get orange. Lots of available options.

I believe any top coat will work. All the rules apply - poly is a bit yellowing, lacquer is clear - so on.
 
I've done as Vaughn suggested and really liked the results. I've also used BLO under shellac and liked it, though it wasn't quite as dramatic as the dye/sand back procedure.
 
Either my maple is mot of the same caliber as that some of you are working with, or I'm just not doing things correctly. :huh:

I tried some dye, some stain, and some dark danish oil, all with the same results, horrid blotching. Really did not like the results even after sanding it back and clear coating. What I did find that does not blotch is a natural danish oil. The grain enhancement is more subtle, but the result is even and the grain still catches the light. I'm going to try a coat of the danish oil with a top coat of lacquer and see how that looks.
 
How fine of sandpaper did you use before the initial dying process? I've found if I sand things too finely, the dye doesn't penetrate the harder parts of the figure well. I'd suggest 180 to 220 grit at the finest. then I'd start sanding back at about the same grit, and ending on 320 or finer.

What type of dye did you try? And how diluted was it? I've had my best results with Transtint, using DNA as a carrier. I often used about 12 to 15 drops of dye per fluid ounce of DNA, then applied it with a mini HVLP gun*, an airbrush*, or a soft cotton rag. In some cases, I've been able to rectify splotchiness by spreading things around after the fact with DNA on a paper towel.

The first few times I tried the dye/sand/finish routine, I was certain I'd ruined the piece. And depending on the strength of the dye and the porosity of the wood, sometimes it can take a LOT of sanding to get enough clean wood exposed to get the desired effect.




* Rennie, you probably already know this, but for anyone else who's reading this now or in the future, if you are spraying anything based on DNA be SURE you are wearing a good respirator that's made to filter VOCs. I made the huge mistake one night of spraying a dye/DNA mixture while wearing a regular dust respirator. That's the closest I ever came to needing to go to the hospital as the result of a shop incident. And I bought a true VOC respirator the next day. ;)
 
How fine of sandpaper did you use before the initial dying process? I've found if I sand things too finely, the dye doesn't penetrate the harder parts of the figure well. I'd suggest 180 to 220 grit at the finest. then I'd start sanding back at about the same grit, and ending on 320 or finer.

What type of dye did you try? And how diluted was it? I've had my best results with Transtint, using DNA as a carrier. I often used about 12 to 15 drops of dye per fluid ounce of DNA, then applied it with a mini HVLP gun*, an airbrush*, or a soft cotton rag. In some cases, I've been able to rectify splotchiness by spreading things around after the fact with DNA on a paper towel.

The first few times I tried the dye/sand/finish routine, I was certain I'd ruined the piece. And depending on the strength of the dye and the porosity of the wood, sometimes it can take a LOT of sanding to get enough clean wood exposed to get the desired effect.




* Rennie, you probably already know this, but for anyone else who's reading this now or in the future, if you are spraying anything based on DNA be SURE you are wearing a good respirator that's made to filter VOCs. I made the huge mistake one night of spraying a dye/DNA mixture while wearing a regular dust respirator. That's the closest I ever came to needing to go to the hospital as the result of a shop incident. And I bought a true VOC respirator the next day. ;)

Thanks for the follow up. I actually sanded my test pieces to 180 grit. And used the same grit to sand them back. The blotch went deep into the wood and really resisted being sanded out.

2b7bbf579d5f255be60affb1a377e94d.jpg

a45b30a632c6569530f58c6adb458489.jpg




I used a a trans tint dark mission brown die diluted in water. That is the sample to the left of the photo. Sample to the right of the photo is dark walnut danish oil (I did not sand this one back). Neither gave a satisfactory result. The second picture shows a sample board using the natural danish oil. None of these have a clearcoat finish over them at the time the pictures were taken.
 
I don't see blotching, but I DO see normal wood density or grain variations.

Sanding maple beyond 180 is too much before coloring.

What is your dilution on the transtint?
It may be too weak.

I have used both water and alcohol with transtint - not in the same solution - seperate solutions.
Water raises grain more than alcohol, but they both will raise grain.
I'm not sure which I like best.

The dye or stain, may take more that one coat.
Transtint is very very strong, I am surprised you didn't get more result than that.

I made a dilution rate spreadsheet, but it is in my shop, I will try to remember to post it for you.
I use a hypo applicator, that you can get at McMaster to measure the transtint and the solution (water or alcohol)

Transtint will penetrate far better than stain.
 
I don't see blotching, but I DO see normal wood density or grain variations.

Sanding maple beyond 180 is too much before coloring.

What is your dilution on the transtint?
It may be too weak.

I have used both water and alcohol with transtint - not in the same solution - seperate solutions.
Water raises grain more than alcohol, but they both will raise grain.
I'm not sure which I like best.

The dye or stain, may take more that one coat.
Transtint is very very strong, I am surprised you didn't get more result than that.

I made a dilution rate spreadsheet, but it is in my shop, I will try to remember to post it for you.
I use a hypo applicator, that you can get at McMaster to measure the transtint and the solution (water or alcohol)

Transtint will penetrate far better than stain.

Hmmm. I thought the blotching was horrid. Different eyes, I guess.

I have since tried other dyes at various strengths. So far I am starting to get good results with a weak DNA solution with just a few drops of medium brown and a drop or two of honey amber. Sanded back with 220 and topcoated with Waterlox satin. Will show a few pics when I think I have it nailed down.

Looking forward to seeing your spreadsheet!
 
Been watching a few more YouTube videos on finishing maple - question: it seems the demos on YouTube all are using hard maple in their examples - were all of you who have contributed here doing the same? I'm using a soft maple. Is that part of the reason I am not getting similar results?
 
I used some Tiger Maple from my firewood pile. That looks a lot like what you have. I also used some really nice quilted maple. I have also used plain hard maple. I will post some pics of those things I have done. I've also done Oak.

I agree, the unfinished wood looks kinda yecky, but after finish is applied it looks better. I have used poly, and Lacquer, all rules apply - L is clear - P is a little yellowing. To me, they both look good in their own right.

To me - the darker areas in your pics is the dark colors penetrating into the softer grains on your wood.

I will send the spreadsheet when I get home.
 
Been watching a few more YouTube videos on finishing maple - question: it seems the demos on YouTube all are using hard maple in their examples - were all of you who have contributed here doing the same? I'm using a soft maple. Is that part of the reason I am not getting similar results?

I think the soft maple will be more susceptible to blotching. Of the various figured maple things I've turned, I don't know which variety of maple they were, but I do know some were easier to get the desired effect than others.
 
I am so sorry.

When I got home tonight I got busy building an outside sink and counter area.

Now, I cannot get into my shop as I put the doggys to bed and I don't want to wake them.

If I wake up early enough, I will do it in the morning.

Sorry
 
I don't have the spreadsheet, but I went out to the shed and dug up the color samples.

Sorry, the pics are horrible - wood in one hand, camera in the other hand - poor lighting.

tiger.jpgtiger-2.jpg

This is the firewood sample I was playing around with.
I didn't finish applying the finish but it would look better if I did.
This is just firewood, so I didn't expect all that much.

quilt.jpg

This is a piece of Quilt I have - waiting for the day it want to come out and play.
I used Red as a base - sanded - then applied black

quilt-2.jpg

Same piece here. Red/Black to the left Just Red middle - nothing right

The finish on this is polyeurethane - rattlecan - many coats - many sandings between - it is a silky smooth. I did not buff this one, but the buffing would really dazzle.


bob.jpg

This is plain hard maple (I think).
I used several mixed shades of Transtint.

The finish is rattlecan Lacquer
 
Well I DID get up early enough and I DID get the file and I DID copy it over to my USB stick that I always have in my pocket, so I could up it when I get to work. Yep I - DID - do all of that. PLUS - I also DID leave the USB in my computer in my shop at home --- DOH!!
 
...This is a piece of Quilt I have - waiting for the day it want to come out and play.
I used Red as a base - sanded - then applied black...

Interesting...most of the people I know who are using the dyed & sanded method start with the darkest color first, then apply the lighter colors. Looks like you're still getting good results following the opposite order.
 
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