Scarecrow Posted November 16, 2014 Share #1 Posted November 16, 2014 Picked up this great .50 cal ammo crate from fellow Forum member Infantryboy11629th. It did'nt have a top so I used my very limited carpentry skills and made one. Came out fairly well but as you can see there is quite a bit of color contrast between new wood and 70 year old wood. The crate has a mild orange tint to the wood. I was wondering if anyone has a decent wood aging technique to reduce the contrast. I know a "Maple" color stain is orange in color but I think it would be a bit too "orange". Any hints or help greatly appreciated. Many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted November 16, 2014 Share #2 Posted November 16, 2014 Wipe a coat of linseed oil on it. Let dry and then put a few more coats. It will darken the wood naturally. It will be hard match stain on it. I put linseed on an old antique wooden trunk my wife bought and we had a professional repair the bottom. I then went the linseed route and it turned out great. You did a great job on the lid. Good luck. Ronnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted November 16, 2014 Share #3 Posted November 16, 2014 Wipe a coat of linseed oil on it. Let dry and then put a few more coats. It will darken the wood naturally. It will be hard match stain on it. I put linseed on an old antique wooden trunk my wife bought and we had a professional repair the bottom. I then went the linseed route and it turned out great. You did a great job on the lid. Good luck. Ronnie you can even buy colorless stain and add your own color if you are willing to test alot and mix and match... i do that alot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted November 16, 2014 Ronnie, Jake.......Thanks for the tips and your responses! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted November 18, 2014 Share #5 Posted November 18, 2014 You bet. Ronnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted November 18, 2014 Share #6 Posted November 18, 2014 Stain it in the desired color and rub it gently with sandpaper, particularly on the edges, to give it a look of wear and age Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted November 19, 2014 Share #7 Posted November 19, 2014 Paul , have you a piece of the timber left over from the lid ? If so , try a few wood stains NOT DYES, looking at it maybe a antique pine color , it might need to be "built up" with a few coats ? But just play with some colors on a scrap piece of timber first , I dont know the manufacturers of your wood products in the US, but here in the UK COLORON produce a wide variety of wood stains LB ( CARPENTER / FURNITURE MAKER ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted November 19, 2014 Share #8 Posted November 19, 2014 Vinegar and steel wool can work with the tannins in the wood to darken and age it. It works best with oak, however. In that case, I saw a project where a guy took very old oak timbers from the floor of a trailer and made something out of it. The steel wool and vinegar remedy darkened it sufficiently to match almost flawlessly. That being pine, however, might call for some experimentation. I have read about using tea as a soak to put tannins in the wood to cause the reaction, but have not done this myself. Do a google for vinegar and steel wool stain, there was one that I found when researching this process where a guy tested many different recipes and types of vinegar, etc., and their effects. If I recall, one was pretty grey like the aged wood on that box. I think I would also try to make use of some good old fashioned dirt, as that undoubtedly contributes to the look of the original wood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted November 19, 2014 Share #9 Posted November 19, 2014 Stain it in the desired color and rub it gently with sandpaper, particularly on the edges, to give it a look of wear and age I should add, my mother made a living selling crafts and was particularly fond of aged and rustic looks, and this is a technique she used Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted November 19, 2014 Share #10 Posted November 19, 2014 I should add, my mother made a living selling crafts and was particularly fond of aged and rustic looks, and this is a technique she used A very tried and tested technique too,! Just to make it clear Brig i wasnt saying or implying that my way was the right way , just a method i use to get the color (patina) of wood when we are trying to match existing pieces No offense implied whatsoever Brig LB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted November 19, 2014 Share #11 Posted November 19, 2014 I'll add one more thought, amber colored shellac will give a similar look. Try it on some scrap wood first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted November 19, 2014 Share #12 Posted November 19, 2014 I'll add one more thought, amber colored shellac will give a similar look. Try it on some scrap wood first. That would give a great hue to the wood ! might be ideal as the top coat ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted November 19, 2014 Share #13 Posted November 19, 2014 would this box have stamps on the lid too? thatd have to be worn as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted November 19, 2014 Share #14 Posted November 19, 2014 A very tried and tested technique too,! Just to make it clear Brig i wasnt saying or implying that my way was the right way , just a method i use to get the color (patina) of wood when we are trying to match existing pieces No offense implied whatsoever Brig LB Oh, none taken, there's a bunch of methods that can be used, I was just clarifying that it's a 'rustic' method Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted November 19, 2014 Share #15 Posted November 19, 2014 Oh, none taken, there's a bunch of methods that can be used, I was just clarifying that it's a 'rustic' method thankyou LB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Posted December 25, 2014 Author Share #16 Posted December 25, 2014 First of all a very Merry Christmas to all Forum members. I went the "staining" route on the box lid. Experimented a few times on scraps of wood. Not perfect but am pretty happy with the result. Thanks to all who passed on their advice and experience. The proverbial "before' and "after" photos attached. Before: After: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted December 25, 2014 Share #17 Posted December 25, 2014 First of all a very Merry Christmas to all Forum members. I went the "staining" route on the box lid. Experimented a few times on scraps of wood. Not perfect but am pretty happy with the result. Thanks to all who passed on their advice and experience. The proverbial "before' and "after" photos attached. Before: phpM9ju11PM.jpg After: phpYflqrhAM.jpg looks good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted December 25, 2014 Share #18 Posted December 25, 2014 Looks great! Nice crate btw -Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now