[cobalt]

both the dyes are worth looking at over here

I had assumed there was a drian and fixture to centralize the shanks interesting to know the capacity of the steamer ,that useful and some thing i will follow up. Like you the workshop needs heating hence the reason for the drawings and searching other ideas.

The brand of dyes I have used is Fiebing's. They are not expensive considering how little it takes to color a large area and they are available in a veritable rainbow of colors and of course you can mix them. I am new to these since I just started using them last fall but from what I have done they seem to penetrate well and color evenly. I also experimented with overlaying colors to get a different look. That seems to work as well and so adds another interesting level. I will try to add some pics later (my unheated shop is closed down for the winter) As for the pipe steamer, you do need a drain for condensation. I just mounted mine on a board so it was raised at one end and put a small hole in the bottom. Inside I made what looks like a small wooden ladder lying on its side to rest the sticks on so they are in the middle of the steamer. The only problem with the steamer is the tank only holds a gallon of water, plan to augment that later.

 

[CheechWizard]

I've made Hikeing Staffs for many years.

I was advised yrs. ago to dry my material about a year.

Shape it and put it in a PVC tube of Transmission Fluid for several months,

then I put em between 2 long pieces of Aluminum 'L', and let em dry another 6 mos.

A couple of radiator clamps hold the angles to the staff for good straight staffs.

The staffs are stained, and strong. I finished mine off with a matt finish of Polyurethane spray.

I've used some of mine on the A.T., and hiking in Yellowstone, beats the metal staffs hands down

for looks, and probably for strength. My staffs are heavier than the store bought kind, but I'm a big guy,

and never seemed to mind.

Anybody tried anything like this?

*Light bulb goes off in head*

I read this and got an immediate visual of a 3" or 4" diameter piece of 6' pvc with 2 caps. What an awesome idea!. I use a lot of commercial pine dowling (as well as the native stuff i harvest). I'm wondering if doing the same thing with new motor oil would work as well. All my sticks are meant to be USED, so they receive a lot of punishment outside in all kinds of weather.

 

[cobalt]

It sound a awful lot of trouble to do that

just season them and straighten them with a heat gun. its much cheaper and works very well

Most UK stick makers use say a 1 inch to 1,5 inch diameter its plenty strong enough .Personally I like a 1inch shank

A 3 inch diameter would seem very clumsy and heavy to me, but post some pictures each of us have our own ways so there isn't a right or wrong , but most Uk stick makers you could say stick .to a tighter criteria

 

[Batakali]

Soaking them in oil brings back a degree of flexibility. It's use a lot by shillelagh makers for fighting sticks. If you don't feel like going through the hassle of making the tubes you can get much the same effect with multiple sessions of oiling and sanding. Or completely coat the stick with a thick layer of petroleum jelly while seasoning, only drawback with that is that you have to keep the stick fairly warm.

 

[LilysDad]

Do the sticks remain oily to the touch after? I wouldn't think automotive oils would dry. You could perform the same procedure with Boiled Linseed Oil.

 

[CV3]

I have not used automotive oils on sticks but I have on some cypress knee carvings. It drys in about 3 day on those. .

 

[Rodney]

Far too early in the morning for puns of that caliber.

Automatic transmission fluid mixed with acetone is a highly effective penetrating oil. The mix would probably soak into a stick faster if you cared to try it. I'll stay with the traditional finishes.

I've found that I like my canes in the 1" range down to about 7/8" at the bottom. Hiking staffs I like in the 1 1/2" to 2" range.

Rodney