Stain Experimentation #1: Attempt #1 - Steel Wool and Vinegar

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Woodworking I am fairly comfortable with. All this new technology stuff, I am not. This is my first blog entry…ever….anywhere. I have been a member here and on a few other forums (of varying interests) for a number of years but I’ve never been a “contributor” in any real way. My wife (whom I love DEARLY) recently suggested that I start “getting my name out there” in an attempt to possibly start a business (albeit small and part time) so that people can see my work and I can attempt to improve myself. And, since I love my wife (DEARLY), I agreed to her urgings…begrudgingly.

So, perhaps of bit of background and my thoughts…only to show where I’m going. (I promise I will keep it short as I am NOT very interesting). I started woodworking when I was around 10 years old (20 years ago) with my dad. He had been doing it since he was about 8 (he’s now a young 55) and he learned it from his Grandfather. From the time I was old enough to hold a tape measure or use a saw, I was in my dad’s “shop” (read: 1/2 of a 2 car garage) helping him build projects. Fast forward those 20 years (for me) and you get to my point now. Fairly confident in my own abilities to start, plan and complete a project. I would not consider myself an expert by any stretch of the imagination but I do think I have a firm grasp on the basics.

Currently I sit between a decent paying job with good benefits (that I DETEST) and wanting to do woodworking as my full time job. My father, being the 25 year retiree from the federal government (and myself 2 years into the same type of career) tells me to stick with the “steady paycheck and good retirement”. I can’t really blame him, he does well for himself and is comfortable in retirement and can do woodworking whenever he chooses.

But that does leave me in a precarious spot and, this one lingering question: “If I were to do this full time, what type of woodworking would I do?” I’ve done cabinets, furniture, picture frames etc etc. And along with that question, we (FINALLY) get to the point of this blog entry. “How can I make my stuff look different?” or “How can I get creative with __?” (Fill in the blank with various techniques and finishes and what have you.

All this led me to this website and reading a lot about this “Steel Wool + Vinegar” stain I kept hearing about. So, I stopped by the store today and got some vinegar (2 kinds) and poured it into some plastic containers and plopped in the steel wool. I just wanted to do a blog entry about it because I didn’t really find any “step by step, this-is-how-I-did-it” things so, I thought I would in case anyone wanted to see the process and, again, just to get used to this “internet/marketing/networking” thing my wife was telling me about. (I love you honey!)

So, below you should find (as long as I figure out how to put them in correctly), some pictures and brief explanations of whats what. Please feel free to offer any input, comments, questions or jokes at my expense that you feel may be necessary!

Apple Cider Vinegar and Distilled White Vinegar

0000 Steel wool from a big box store

16 ounces of each type. White vinegar on the left, apple cider vinegar on the right.

1 steel wool pad in each container. The pads are roughly 3 inches by 5 inches and about 3/4 of an inch thick each. I pushed them all the way to the bottom so they were completely submerged and poked each a few times to get the air bubbles out so they would be completely saturated and (hopefully) not float to the top.

Everything I read had differing time parameters for how long to leave the steel wool in the vinegar. Some said over night, some said until the steel wool was completely dissolved. I’m just going to check on them periodically and possibly sample the liquid at various intervals and try and document the changes at those times.

As I’ve said before, I don’t find myself very interesting and, as I read back over what I’ve put in here, I think the “proof is in the pudding” as they say. Sorry, I’ll hopefully get better over time….or….I’ll just stop and put us all out of our misery! Until next time.

Texas Oak

Source: LumberJocks.com

Stain Experimentation #1: Attempt #1 - Steel Wool and Vinegar