modified sample

[brockadeau]

Here's a sign made for a freind using a modification of the sample provided with vcarve.

[Rcnewcomb]

What technique did you use for darkening the carved areas? Stain? Burning? ...?

[brockadeau]

I routed, cut, and very lightly saneded the piece, then I sprayed several coats of laquer sanding sealer, I then sprayed on some stain, and then wiped the stain off the face and applied several coats of finish over the entire piece. I wrapped a rag around a piece of plywood tightly and dragged that over the surface so the stain would not be pulled out of the crevasses-- this leaves a nice tight line of stain to wood. It also works good to prefinish the wood before cutting, then just stain and wipe with the rage covered block trick and you're done-- you don't have to put anything else on -- just don't sand too aggressively before staining-- Jack

[brockadeau]

One reason that I like to apply a sealer before staining is to prevent the stain from moving horizontally though the pores of the wood. The mahongany is not bad, but maple and pine wick very badly, so the end product is far less than acceptable. The stain is not quite as dark or as rich (but a second coat will take care of that) but the clarity of the surface to indentation is a whole lot cleaner and crisper.