I'm better now.:hmm3grin2orange:
OK here goes...
Let me start by with a warning. Lye is caustic and can cause sever chemical burns! Use your PPE (face shield, rubber gloves, long sleves, etc.) and proceed at you own risk!
With that out of the way...
You will need
-Household lye crystals- you usually can find it in the cleaning section of a grocery store
-2- 1qt. min. containers with water tight lids
(I use clean 1 liter plastic soda bottles)
-1 tbs measuring spoon, 1 qt measuring cup
-funnel
-paper towels-
-white vinegar
-stirring rod
-cloth rags
Preparation
-fill one container with 1qt
warm water
-carefully add 1tbs lye to water, gently stir for 1 min.
-seal container and let cool to room temp.
-If any undissolved crystals remain after the solution has cooled, filter them out using the funnel and paper towel.
-in a separate container, prepare a solution of 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar (approx. 1qt total)
Application
-sand wood to 220 grit
-Using a cloth rag, wipe the lye solution onto the surface of the wood until it is evenly wet but not saturated. (you will see a color change almost immediately). Wipe off any excess with a dry rag.
-Let sit for approx. 10-15 minutes or until desired color is achieved
-Neutralize lye with vinegar solution by wiping the surface in the same manner as described above
-Remove vinegar by wiping with clean water until smell is mostly gone
-let wood dry completely before applying any top coat
I recommend that you test this on a piece of scrap, preferably from the same stock, to see if it gives you the results you want. If a darker color is desired, a solution of 2tbs lye per quart may achieve this. I've used this method successfully on the following.
Pecan/ Hickory- Warm brown
SYP- antique/ aged look (yellowish)- used as a pre-treatment to stain
White oak- very dark brown
Different woods react differently based on their chemical content and some hardly react at all. This method can be dangerous if the proper care isn't given, but I prefer to use it in some cases as it doesn't hide or obscure the grain as some stains will. Also, the color change penetrates deep into the wood fibers so scratches don't show as bad and are easier to repair.
Be sure to properly dispose of excess chemical, container, rags, etc.
I don't believe I missed major steps but I wrote this from memory. I'm building another buffet for my MIL similar to this one and if something comes up I'll be sure to add it.