collapse

* Recent Posts

Re: "Christ Is King" by Sefiru
[Today at 07:44:49 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Sophia C
[Today at 07:21:31 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by SirPalomides
[Today at 07:13:48 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Sophia C
[Today at 07:04:14 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Sophia C
[Today at 06:56:16 pm]

Author Topic: Hobbies: Staining & Finishing Wood Ogham Staves  (Read 2918 times)

Aster Breo

  • Senior Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Posts: 2990
  • Country: 00
  • Total likes: 144
    • View Profile
Staining & Finishing Wood Ogham Staves
« on: March 26, 2015, 03:01:23 pm »
Hey, Woodworkers!  I need some advice.

I recently received a beautiful set of handmade ogham staves.  It's actually 3 full sets, each stave made out of the kind of wood represented by that symbol (so, the Dair staves are made out of oak wood, the Beith staves out of birch wood, etc.), all using found twigs, not pieces cut off of trees. Each stave is 2"-2.5" long and between 0.25" and 0.5" in diameter, although most are roughly the diameter of a pencil. This set includes 3 full sets of staves because I use the Three Current method of reading that was developed by Erryn Rowan Laurie (kinda sorta like suits in tarot), so there are 60 pieces total.

I need to do something to distingush each set from the others.  F'ex, I have a triple set of ogham stones in which each set is made from a different kind of stone.  The celestial current set is celestine stones, the ocianic current set is clear quartz, and the chthonic current set is labradorite.

I'm thinking of staining the staves -- probably purple for the celestial current set, blue for the oceanic current set, and red-brown for the chthonic current set. But, of course, I don't know anything about wood working. 

I don't want to use a harsh chemical stain, and I don't need much stain at all, since the staves are small.  After doing some research online, I think I've settled on making a stain using food coloring.  But I've found 2 methods.  One uses white vinegar and the other uses alcohol.

Any recommendations?

Similarly, I want to use a natural finish.  The internet has many suggestions, including beeswax, walnut oil, and tung oil.  I'm leaning toward beeswax because it sounds like that will protect the staves well and be easy to work with.  But again, I don't know what I'm doing.

I found a local source that sells beeswax pellets by the ounce.  Any idea how much I'd need for a little project like this?

Suggestions for how to apply it?

Thanks!!!
« Last Edit: May 07, 2019, 02:06:05 pm by RandallS »
"The status is not quo."  ~ Dr. Horrible

Nerys53

  • Journeyman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 176
  • Country: 00
  • Total likes: 2
    • View Profile
Re: Staining & Finishing Wood Ogham Staves
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2015, 05:40:18 am »
Quote from: Aster Breo;173413
Hey, Woodworkers!  I need some advice.

I recently received a beautiful set of handmade ogham staves.  It's actually 3 full sets, each stave made out of the kind of wood represented by that symbol (so, the Dair staves are made out of oak wood, the Beith staves out of birch wood, etc.), all using found twigs, not pieces cut off of trees. Each stave is 2"-2.5" long and between 0.25" and 0.5" in diameter, although most are roughly the diameter of a pencil. This set includes 3 full sets of staves because I use the Three Current method of reading that was developed by Erryn Rowan Laurie (kinda sorta like suits in tarot), so there are 60 pieces total.

I need to do something to distingush each set from the others.  F'ex, I have a triple set of ogham stones in which each set is made from a different kind of stone.  The celestial current set is celestine stones, the ocianic current set is clear quartz, and the chthonic current set is labradorite.

I'm thinking of staining the staves -- probably purple for the celestial current set, blue for the oceanic current set, and red-brown for the chthonic current set. But, of course, I don't know anything about wood working.  

I don't want to use a harsh chemical stain, and I don't need much stain at all, since the staves are small.  After doing some research online, I think I've settled on making a stain using food coloring.  But I've found 2 methods.  One uses white vinegar and the other uses alcohol.

Any recommendations?

Similarly, I want to use a natural finish.  The internet has many suggestions, including beeswax, walnut oil, and tung oil.  I'm leaning toward beeswax because it sounds like that will protect the staves well and be easy to work with.  But again, I don't know what I'm doing.

I found a local source that sells beeswax pellets by the ounce.  Any idea how much I'd need for a little project like this?

Suggestions for how to apply it?

Thanks!!!

Someone on http://www.craftster.org/ might know and also try a woodworking forum.
There be some woodworking forums. Also maybe on one of the groups at PaganSpace.:)
« Last Edit: March 28, 2015, 05:41:07 am by Nerys53 »

Nerys53

  • Journeyman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 176
  • Country: 00
  • Total likes: 2
    • View Profile
Re: Staining & Finishing Wood Ogham Staves
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2015, 05:48:50 am »
Quote from: Nerys53;173467
Someone on http://www.craftster.org/ might know and also try a woodworking forum.
There be some woodworking forums. Also maybe on one of the groups at PaganSpace.:)

 
Online there are several beeswax polish recipes. Some years ago I made something similar to this http://www.diydriftwood.com/make-beeswax-polish/ in a smaller quantity.:)

Night Owl

  • Journeyman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2013
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Posts: 147
  • Country: 00
  • Total likes: 38
    • View Profile
  • Preferred Pronouns: he/him/his
Re: Staining & Finishing Wood Ogham Staves
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2015, 12:22:54 pm »
Quote from: Aster Breo;173413

I'm thinking of staining the staves -- probably purple for the celestial current set, blue for the oceanic current set, and red-brown for the chthonic current set. But, of course, I don't know anything about wood working.  

I don't want to use a harsh chemical stain, and I don't need much stain at all, since the staves are small.  After doing some research online, I think I've settled on making a stain using food coloring.  But I've found 2 methods.  One uses white vinegar and the other uses alcohol.

 
I'm thinking that the vinegar or the alcohol is being used to set the food dye so it doesn't come off. The difference between alcohol and vinegar is that with vinegar, the alcohol has been metabolized into acetic acid. These are different chemicals which will work in different ways. To make an informed decision, you would have to know why they work to set the dye. So, someone with a higher than Grade 10 knowledge of chemistry should be able to help with that, I guess.

Tags:
 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
9 Replies
1849 Views
Last post August 18, 2012, 08:36:58 am
by RandallS
11 Replies
6768 Views
Last post December 11, 2012, 11:54:15 pm
by Fagan_the_Pagan
20 Replies
4297 Views
Last post July 30, 2014, 01:23:03 pm
by Finn
5 Replies
3168 Views
Last post January 02, 2015, 08:41:31 pm
by SunflowerP
17 Replies
2976 Views
Last post June 30, 2016, 12:01:11 am
by Senah

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 198
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 3
  • Dot Users Online:

* Please Donate!

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

* Shop & Support TC

The links below are affiliate links. When you click on one of these links you will go to the listed shopping site with The Cauldron's affiliate code. Any purchases you make during your visit will earn TC a tiny percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you.

* In Memoriam

Chavi (2006)
Elspeth (2010)
Marilyn (2013)

* Cauldron Staff

Host:
Sunflower

Message Board Staff
Board Coordinator:
Darkhawk

Assistant Board Coordinator:
Aster Breo

Senior Staff:
Aisling, Allaya, Jenett, Sefiru

Staff:
Ashmire, EclecticWheel, HarpingHawke, Kylara, PerditaPickle, rocquelaire

Discord Chat Staff
Chat Coordinator:
Morag

'Up All Night' Coordinator:
Altair

Cauldron Council:
Bob, Catja, Chatelaine, Emma-Eldritch, Fausta, Jubes, Kelly, LyricFox, Phouka, Sperran, Star, Steve, Tana

Site Administrator:
Randall

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal