Well that was weird (bleaching)

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Well that was weird (bleaching)

11/12/04, 11:41 AM #1

Mike Schwing from Md.
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Well that was weird (bleaching)

Mike Schwing from Md.

>I've been trying to bleach a few things lately, with way less than stellar results. Been using "wood bleach" from the HD in a crystal that gets mixed with water. Also using Clorox. Like I said, way less than pleased.

So I ordered some two part bleach, you mix parts A and B together and then apply the mixture to the bare wood.

Had a gorgeous piece of very highly figured white ash I finished turning and wanted to make as white as possible.

Applied the bleach mixture and, right before my eyes, the wood turned as yellow as a lemon! HUH? WTF? YELLOW? A far cry from the white I was looking for. What to do? I followed directions. 20 minutes later I applied a second coat, and the yellow got brighter. Great, just great, I went to bed knowing that I now have a lemon yellow white ash bowl.

This morning it was as pure white as fresh fallen snow.

Re: Well that was weird (bleaching)

11/12/04, 12:43 PM #2

john lucas
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20,176 posts

Registered: 1/1/04

Re: Well that was weird (bleaching)

John Lucas

>Mike

It will still yellow some as you apply finish. You need to put a little water or mineral spirits on it to check the color. If needed bleach more. The Bleach does take a while to work. Some woods change a little when you neutralize the bleach. Somewoods don't change at all like you think they will.

For instance Osage Orange goes gray. Who'd a thunk it. With Wenge only the lighter wood bleaches, the darker wood stays roughly the same so it looks more like Zebra wood when your done. Just like finishing it's really important to try a sample piece before working on the original.

Chlorine bleach works pretty well on some woods but not at all on others. I've never tried the crystal wood bleach but the PartA and B who's name escapes me at the moment, works wonderful on most woods I've played with.