Cottonwood Bowl Stains

[Ernie Kuhn]

Cottonwood bowl, wet sanded antique oil into it to fill torn grain. Worked OK. Dry sanded to 400. Stained with spirit stain (alcohol based) to highlight the figure. Didn't really "pop". Can I use BLO over the top of the spirit stain to pop the figure? Or, couple of coats of lacquer sanding sealer and many coats of lacquer?
Thanks in advance,
Ernie

[Jim Becker]

Yes, you should be able to apply the oil over the alcohol soluble dye, but try it on a piece of scrap first...

[TYLER WOOD]

You really wont be able to get the grain to pop. I have tried just about every thing to get it to. This is just not a really popping grain wood. It has some nice figure to it sometime, but it's almost impossible because of how soft it is, to get it really sanded well enough to get the grain patterns to really pop. I hope you can, if so let me know how you did it. The burl from cottonwood if you can get ahold of some is fantastic though. A little easier to get sanded to a smoother finish.

[Ernie Kuhn]

Jim, Tyler,
Thank you both. The alcohol dye is an experiment since I haven't tried it before. Also the first time turning cottonwood. Tyler, you are correct, a combination of very tight, swirly grain in one area and some very nice looking curl on the other side. If it were maple, there would be no question, BLO soak for 10 minutes, wipe of, wipe of, wipe of, etc. Will try the BLO later today and post a couple of pics after it drys and I get enough coats of lacquer on it, cured, to buff. Probably in a week or so. Again, thank you both.
Ernie

[William Bachtel]

Sometimes the curl will not pop, because it isn't strong, or heavy enough to start with. What I am saying is if the figure isn't there it isn't there. A photo wood help.

[Ernie Kuhn]

Bill,
Got the BLO on it at the moment, wiping it down every couple of hours or so. When its dry, will shoot a couple of pics, probably in a couple of days.
Ernie