justin_o_guy2 wrote on 06/12/12 at 05:54:19:Tell me more about this stain process. Never hear of dissolving steel wool, how long does it take? How much do you use? What else needs done?
I found a few "recipes" and even some videos online. "Make new wood look old"... A few variations, but what I did was pulled small pieces of #0000 steel wool and put in a small jar, then pour in some regular white vinegar... at least enough to cover your pieces. It takes about 24 hours or so, and the steel won't completely dissolve, but you can use it then. After one day, its still kinda clear. After a few days, the vinegar turns rusty-colored (but still clear, not milky) and the steel wool dissolves almost completely. One tip I read/watched said to steep a tea bag, very strong, about 1/3 cup water, and brush it on first. Let that dry, then brush with the vinegar/steel wool solution. The tannic acid in the tea reacts with the steel solution. I tried it, and that turned out a little darker than I wanted, so I tried it without the tea and liked it better. Both work pretty well, depending on your goal. But hey, it was stuff I already had laying around, so it was worth playing with. I also knew I was gonna need a little more to do the entire counter, so I added more vinegar before I started so the solution would go far enough. I think you can fine-tune your results by using differing amounts of each ingredient.
Try it for the fun of it!
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