My mind is going back some 50 years to when I saw my first Vilas maple furniture. It was always a honey coloured finish.

I wonder if you don't have some sapwood from the outside of a big maple? That will frequently be much whiter than the heart wood.

Danish oil usually brings out the true colour of the wood, so if it has still stayed white, then I guess that's what it is. It sounds like your only option to alter that is going to be some sort of stain, which will need to be compatible with the oil.

I'm nowhere near sufficiently expert on this to suggest what that might be. But if you have decent finishing supply store over there, perhaps a chat with them might pay dividends. Sorry I can't be of more assistance.

I know that when we apply several coats of marine varnish to various woods that the wood will slowly darken as more coats are added. Maybe that will work?

 

The oils I used make the maple look like ikea furniture. I would like something a liitle deeper in colour, but not if it means multiple coats of varnish and other stuff.

 

I hear you. The first coat of varnish on most woods often look like hell to be honest. By the time you get to the third or fourth coat it's starting to look good. Sounds like more work than you need.

 

Use shellac. You could even use orange shellac. Of coarse there is always dyes which I don't know much about. I bet someone on here does and I am sure others will give you good advice on what to do.

 

If you want colour in your wood I haven`t found any stain that can match SamaN from Quebec but I don't know if you could get it sent there. I use a lot of white birch so I have the same issue with it as maple. Old fashioned varnish does give it a honey colour.

 

Its just that I am a walking disaster with a paint brush. If it involves multiple coats of anything, it will have so many runs and drips that it will have to be burnt.
I'm looking for a one coat wonder.

 

Sounds like my ex wife. I used to think she drank the stuff and peed it on! >

 

I don't know if it would work over what you have done, but you could check out alcohol based aniline dyes.




Gary

 

I've read recently that you can add stain to shellac to add color, but haven't tried it yet.

 

so far the box is just wood. It came out so white that I'm practising on scraps to see if i can get a slightly darker tone without ruining the box (see, I am learning slowly). I have some light oak stain, I;ll see what that does to it.

 

Guilty as charged your honour.

 

I don't think you could do it that badly no matter how hard you tried.

 

I think if you give it a couple of years you will see color when the patina comes out. If you darken it now it will get darker with age. If you want more of a finish I would put tung oil on it. One coat might do you if it is heavy. I put it on with my hands, no brush.

 

A really good quality true bristle brush will make a world of difference to your finishing experience.
Getting it clean and keeping it that way are the true test. DON'T WIPE THE BRUSH ON THE EDGE OF THE CAN WHEN YOU DIP IT IN!!!
It forces the finish up into the top end of the bristles...you'll never get it all out of there. And don't ever use true bristle brushes for any type of latex.