Antique finish

I'm not sure the milk paint powder will blend with the shellac enough to work...

I think what you're going to have to do is make a sample turning from the wood of choice and try different finishes and combinations. Maybe even get the client to choose.

You should probably follow the procedures used to "antique" furniture. Normally these involve artificial wear produced by buffing through any finish, distressing with random marks and dents, and glazing, where the marks dents and confined areas are darkened to simulate the buildup of dirt through time.

I'm going to doubt that people outside of professionals dealt much with shellac, and we tend to want "country" look in antiques anyway, so I would use what they had in plenty - linseed oil - as my base. It's nice, because the oil ambers the wood, too. I'd darken it a touch with artist color to make my glaze. The wear surfaces should be obvious if you simulate use of the piece for its intended purpose, but should definitely include the bottom, both inside and out.

Distress the surfaces most vulnerable during handling with random dents and perhaps rub a bit of extra oil/color mixture into them and decorative grooves, feathering here and there to blend to surface. You can also use the beeswax to hold the glaze. Then buff out the wear areas and whatever you do, don't make it shine.

Milk paint is going to be close to the same process. One hint to simulate interior wear is to half-fill the bowl with round pebbles, toss and swirl a few (dozen) times to simulate impact and scratches produced by utensils.

That's assuming that the milk proteins will dissolve in alcohol, which I = doubt. Take George's advice and then when all is said and done scuff the = piece with 000 steel wool to reduce the shine to a sheen.

FWIW: A luthier (guitar maker) friend used to do some fairly exotic repairs on older instruments. For example, he fabricated and installed a new neck on a 1964 Gibson ES335 that someone had slammed with a car trunk. The guitar was essentially a collector's item, quite valuable. With a damaged neck it was worthless. But the new neck had to appear the same age as the guitar. So he used a lacquer finish, sprayed, to which he'd added some extremely fine charcoal powder (I seem to recall he added about a quarter teaspoon to a half pint of lacquer) and a tiny amount of yellow pigment. The effect was simply a slightly hazy, slightly yellowed, aged finish, which he then hand rubbed with 0000 bronze wool along the back of the neck giving the impression of worn finish from the player's thumb. The customer was extremely pleased. I thought it looked original.

I'm not sure how one obtains extremely fine charcoal dust, but I assume one could grind some with a little effort and a mortar and pestle.

Max

an interesting finish to pine/whitewood turnings to give the antique colour is to make a weak solution of potassium permanganate. rub over the wood briefly and rub off. repeat until colour is as required.

Hi Ray, I guess the patina of old wood objects owes to a mix of human (mis)handling, natural darkening of wood, dust, dirt, sweat. body oils, scratches and dents. Maybe you could simulate the patina: haze; beeswax, darken: UV, dirty: charcoal, greasy; lanolin, sweat; saline, age; timber from an old teardown building, fence, etc.

...or for an authentic 'Tennessee Finish' use yard dirt, house dust, your own greasy sweat, tears, a little blood and ear wax (ugh). Shoot it several times with a long barrel rifle.:) Preserve the patina by rubbing with corn squeezings, if there's any left after dealing with your customers.

Now for a less serious suggestion, one we all know but sometimes forget. Always insist that your clients show you something as an _actual_ sample of the finish desired. You will never reach a mutual understanding with words, usually not even with pictures. The studios of artists/craftsmen who knew just what was meant are littered with rejected and unsold commissions. All best, Arch

Fortiter,

Ray, I meant to add that your work is on par with that of other established turning artists. IOW, you've paid the price. Now your clients should want what you make instead of you making what they want. Arch

Fortiter,

Ray, there are two approaches to this problem. 1.) You can keep trying different techniques, and keep showing them to the client until one of them is accepted, or until you get fed up and quit trying. 2.) You can ask the client to show you an example of the finish he/she wants, and then you have to invent/discover/devise a way of producing that effect.

The first approach says that if it looks antique to somebody, it is OK for that person. The second approach says that you are forced to achieve a certain result, whether you know how or not. In my experience, it is easier to hit a known target. I would ask for some examples of what the customer wants.

I would look up antique wood bowl on ebay. I just did and there are lots of images for inspiration. I would not sand beyond 180. You could hit the item with a chain gently. Sometimes darkening of the endgrain happens. A thin finish without wax would probably be best. Blotchy and thirsty for finish might be the look to go for. Maybe stain with a little red wine?

I have been asked to make a few turnings that appear antique. They are supposed to be reproductions from the 17/18th century. I can do the turning and carving, but the finish is causing a bit of consternation. I researched the topic and found that the normal finishes that were used back then were shellac, beeswax, milk paint and linseed oil type finishes. The first one I made was rejected as being too waxey - here is what I did - I used Linseed Oil to just coat and bring out the wood's color - let it dry for a few days, then sealed with shellac, then applied 2 layers of shellac with a cloth that was lubridcated with olive oil, then rubbed lightly with beeswax. I liked the finish, but the customer did not. Here's the question...

Could I use a spoon full of milk paint in the shellac to make it look like a cloudy glaze? This may make the piece appear old right away - what do you think? Or is there another way to use the materials to make the piece look glazed instead of waxed?

Thanks

Ray

Wow - you guys are great with getting the answers back!

Arch - I know - my own stuff is my statement, but this guy has a steady flow of $$$$ and I want some!

All others - I will try the following: sand to 180 by hand leaving some tool marks, etc. then Linseed Oil, then stop and make another one try a shellac and charcoal dust mixture and make sure the crevices and pores are pronounced. if that does not work, then I will try the charcoal with linseed and then a light coat of shellac with no buffing.

I will post the finished item on abpw for those interested in seeing the results.

thank you to all who took the time to provide advice - all has been considered!

Ray

What type of shellac did you use? Today's shellacs are often highly refined. "Seedlac" shellac is the least refined and often contains bug parts and bits of the tree which have to be filtered out before use. Perhaps this type of shellac will give the appearance the customer if after.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

You might also want to pose you question to Jeff Jewitt on his finishing forum at his web site "Homestead Finishing":

is a renown furniture restorer, has written several books on finishing, andis one heck of a nice guy.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

I used a 2lb cut of blonde shellac - thinking that the darker color would give an older looking finish.

I tested a few things and found a suitable answer in my vinegar/rust jar and BLSO - looks like it will do for making the pieces look old, next I will apply a single coat of shellac and then rub out with wool and see how thgat works!

Thanks

Ray

I'd like to suggest you leave one option out.

I have first-hand experience this lunch hour with the effect of garden dirt from under the nails combined with shellac.

It looks like dirt, and takes sandpaper to get out of the pores of the wood.

Now where's that fingernail brush?