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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Why not use maple as your wood? I =
would try
India ink myself. You can buy it in quarts.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jim</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>James Grebe<BR>Piano-Forte Tuning & Repair<BR>Creator of =
Handsome
Hardwood Caster Cups, piano benches, writing instruments<BR>(314) =
608-4137<BR><A
href="http://www.JamesGrebe.com">WWW.JamesGrebe.com</A><BR>1526 =
Raspberry
Lane<BR>Arnold, MO 63010<BR>BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE!<BR><A
href="mailto:pianoman@accessus.net">pianoman@accessus.net</A></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=sarah@graphic-fusion.com =
href="mailto:sarah@graphic-fusion.com">Sarah
Fox</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, July 12, 2005 =
9:10
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: black finishing
techniques</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Mark and list,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>You've got it right, as to what I'm =
trying to
achieve. You are also right that poplar has almost no grain, =
which was
why I selected it. (I thought the finish I wanted would be =
completely
smooth, but that would end up being too much work on a mass production =
basis. </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>What I noticed is that =
the light
grain of the poplar actually doesn't look bad -- or wouldn't look bad =
if I
could find the optimal finish. I'll also be testing red oak for =
a
coarser grain look. This may ultimately be a better choice, =
albeit more
expensive by about $2 per frame. I'll be after a light sheen
(satin). I've tried the acrylic latex, BTW, and it just doesn't =
look
right.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As Joe said, it's an experimentation =
thingie, and
I'm in the experimental stages. I was simply hoping for some =
advice
about lightfastness and did get some helpful tips off list. =
(I'll reply
to those shortly.) Anyway, I've got enough to keep me busy for a =
while,
and I thank y'all for the advice! :-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Peace,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sarah</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=bases-loaded76@sbcglobal.net
href="mailto:bases-loaded76@sbcglobal.net">Mark Potter</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, July 12, 2005 =
8:49
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: black finishing
techniques</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><B><I>Sarah Fox <<A
=
href="mailto:sarah@graphic-fusion.com">sarah@graphic-fusion.com</A>>=
</I></B>
wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff =
2px solid">
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> When I said I wanted to =
"show the
grain," I was referring more to the thickness of the finish (i.e. =
texture)
than the depth of the stain (i.e. color). </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>OK... then if I understand you (maybe not) you want =
the wood
completely black, as in opaque, but you want the surface of the =
film to
show grain, as opposed to a grain-filled, perfectly flat =
surface.
Right? Am I getting warm? ;-)</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>If that is the case, it would seem the =
choice of
poplar somewhat complicates achieving this desired result, despite =
its
many virtuous qualities otherwise. Poplar has virtually NO
perceivable grain - well, VERY little - so whatever coating you =
put on
there will have to be mighty thin to show any texture from the
poplar. Do you want a sheen of any kind, or flat, with no
build? Perhaps a water-based product will accentuate what =
grain
there is by swelling the poplar a bit. What about black =
acrylic
latex paint - one coat, two coats tops, with the first one thinned =
a
bit?</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>Ya got me!</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
=
<DIV><STRONG>Mark</STRONG></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQU=
OTE></BODY></HTML>