Thread: 1931 Cadillac Roadster

Jim, you mentioned 'ebonising' some parts. Do you use any special technique like iron, or stain/dye?

I see the term a lot, used to refer to a variety of techniques. Apparently it just means 'to blacken'.

G'day Hermit,
I use white vinegar & steel wool in a solution, Use steel wool from a hardware store not from your kitchen. I cant tell you quantities, but soak the steel wool for a day or so & soak your part's in it. The darker the wood the darker the colour & the longer you soak it the darker the stain. It is a matter of trial & error. Go slowly to start & see what happen's. If you check out my album's in regard's to the palm cockatoo, that timber is black walnut & it has come out black. Lighter timber's wont be as dark.
Good luck & have a go, you will be impressed.
Regard's Jim

Originally Posted by j&j

G'day Hermit,
I use white vinegar & steel wool in a solution, Use steel wool from a hardware store not from your kitchen. I cant tell you quantities, but soak the steel wool for a day or so & soak your part's in it. The darker the wood the darker the colour & the longer you soak it the darker the stain. It is a matter of trial & error. Go slowly to start & see what happen's. If you check out my album's in regard's to the palm cockatoo, that timber is black walnut & it has come out black. Lighter timber's wont be as dark.
Good luck & have a go, you will be impressed.
Regard's Jim

I can't wait to try. Was considering all of the other options - black timber dye, black stain or black acrylic model paint, but true 'ebonising' sounds much better. From what I've read, ebonising goes much deeper into the timber than stains or dyes. I tried dying right through a piece of 1mm Camphor Laurel a few weeks ago and couldn't, no matter how many coats I applied.

Vinegar? I'll have to give it a try. It's certainly easier than trying to find tannic acid. I'll buy some really dark timber to start with. I've got Jarrah and some Blackwood. Wonder how the Blackwood would go?
Edit: Just read that article properly. He uses vinegar too.

Apparently Oak works well with iron powder, due to high tannic acid content.
I thought about using tea for tannic acid, but some reading tells me that tea contains tannin but not tannic acid.

I found an interesting article in 'Popular Woodworking Magazine' on the subject, here: -
Ebonizing Wood | Popular Woodworking Magazine

Edit: I've got a box of 0000 steel wool and a full bottle of vinegar, so I'll start a trial tomorrow.

Quebracho bark powder improves the process. Anyone got any laying around?
It's here: - http://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/BKT2-P3850.aspx

Originally Posted by j&j

Bit of an update on the progress of the Cadillac, but next to Brett's Locomotive this is a walk in the park, or a milk run as known by other's, Including myself .Today I cut out the chassis of the vehicle, cut & shaped the fender's & the bumper bar's. Also cut & shaped the front seat & the dickey seat. In the second photo it's coming together as to what it should look like. I still think I made a mistake in the timber selection. I also have to follow the plan's & put the steering wheel on the correct side of the vehicle according to one of my peer's in the USA.
Have a good weekend to all. Jim

A question from the USA - "dickey seat" ?????? Is that what us Yanks call the rumble seat? (the flip up seat at the rear?)

I also see in one of your later posts that you did NOT put the steering wheel on the correct side . Do all you blokes down there have a problem of telling left from right?

Rolling on the floor laughing.

Bret

Originally Posted by BigDBigD

A question from the USA - "dickey seat" ?????? Is that what us Yanks call the rumble seat? (the flip up seat at the rear?)

I also see in one of your later posts that you did NOT put the steering wheel on the correct side . Do all you blokes down there have a problem of telling left from right?

G'Day "Big D",
A dickey seat & a rumble seat from my understand are one in the same.
Rumble seat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rumble seat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

At to "port & starboard" or "left & right"; we got it right......LOL
Have a look at Bret's ubeaut Scania, he got it right....
You want to come down here and try it....
Cheers

PS Lets not hijack Jim build with any more of this, start a new thread......

I wasn't going to post this update but I couldn'd help my self. I was in my shed { for yank's read workshop} My wife showed me a post from the USA,after I finished laughing I thought I have to show BigD my aussie Cadlillac before I put the roof on. Now we all know Right is Right & Left is Left ,are you still with me on this? So therefor the steering wheel go's on the Right. Right.
Second photo is for BigD, showing steering wheel on the right.right. Where it should be in this part of the country. First photo is just fenders, with hole's for spare wheel's dickey seat{ for yank's read rumble seat} roof in background, both ebonised & wheel's painted ready for assembly. It should be finished in a couple of day's & I will post completed photo's then.
until then y'all have a good day.
BigD are you still my friend?
Regard's to all who comment on this post. I luv it.
Jim

Looks good Jim. I love how you ebonized the wheels. I want to try this out and hopefully get the results you do. I sent you a private message did you get it?

By the way us Texans don't consider ourselves "Yanks" thats what we call people from up North. We are Southerners. LOL

Bret

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Looks good Jim. I love how you ebonized the wheels. I want to try this out and hopefully get the results you do. I sent you a private message did you get it?

By the way us Texans don't consider ourselves "Yanks" thats what we call people from up North. We are Southerners. LOL

Bret

To us you all look the same.

(I've got my steel wool soaking in vinegar, but not much is happening yet, the vinegar is still virtually clear. It's pretty cold, I might try a warmer spot and/or some heat to speed the process.)

Hermit, the solution wont change colour, just leave your sample pieces in for a couple of hour's, let them dry, if they are not dark enough put them back in for a another couple of hours. Check out my Cadlillac, the seat's & roof were in the solution for about 4 hours. Are they black enough?
I hope this help's with your problem.
Regard's Jim

Originally Posted by j&j

Hermit, the solution wont change colour, just leave your sample pieces in for a couple of hour's, let them dry, if they are not dark enough put them back in for a another couple of hours. Check out my Cadlillac, the seat's & roof were in the solution for about 4 hours. Are they black enough?
I hope this help's with your problem.
Regard's Jim

Ah, right, thanks. After reading that other article, I thought I had to wait until the steel wool had dissolved. It's been sitting for a couple of days.
I'll do some timber tests tomorrow.

My 1930 Ford Roadster plans will be almost here by now, so I can make a start soon. Can't wait.

Brett, please excuse my terminology of "yanks", it was addressed to my mate BigD, he must from up north, his address is USA. I received your email, & I will reply shortly to that, thank's for the thought. This post is about the wheel's, they are painted with a craft paint as in one of my earlier post's. Then sprayed with two coat's of polyurethane. The roof, seat's, & grill surround are ebonised as in a post to Hermit, sorry for any confusion. I hope this clear's everything up
Regard's Jim

Originally Posted by j&j

The roof, seat's, & grill surround are ebonised as in a post to Hermit,

The black looks great on the seats. I was considering purple heart for my seats, but will have to add black for consideration now.

Jim No worries was all in good fun! Yes I remember you painted the wheels I just got confused myself about the ebonizing. DOH! Keep the pics coming!

Bret