Game Board, p2

CHECKERS!!!!

I got all the oak & bloodwood checker pieces cut out, sanded, ebonized, and began their finishing. I made a total of 20 of each. This should account for the odd need to king someone who made it across without losing a piece (very unlikely) and for the pieces that might get lost (almost guaranteed).

So I promised to tell you about how to ebonize oak. You can do it with walnut also. Both work extremely well with the very simple process.

First up is dissolving a steel wool pad in vinegar.
1) Get a quart bottle of white vinegar.
2) Get a steel wool pad that's free of any foreign substances (this means DON'T use an S.O.S pad). You might need to runse the pad first, just to be sure.
3) Tear the pad in little pieces and stuff it into the bottle of vinegar.
4) Set it outside or in the garage with the lid unscrewed but sitting on top. As the vinegar dissolves the steel wool, it will create some really potent fumes that you don't want in your house. It will take a few days for it to completely dissolve. Stir it up whenever you walk by to help break up the clumps.
5) Strain the mixture through a few layers of cheesecloth, a couple of coffee filters, some old nylons... anything that will not disintegrate from the vinegar but will catch the fine particles left over.

Once you have this stuff all set and back in the bottle, you're all set to go. Sand the wood to whatever grit you need, then flood the wood with the liquid, letting it absorb as much as it'll take in 10-15 minutes. The iron in the liquid reacts with the tanic acid in the wood, turning the wood black. Once it's dry, you can sand it (lightly) with 220 or higher to take off the raised fibers. Then you're ready for a finish.