Bleaching maple

[skibum5545]

I have found a cheap source for quilted maple that I want to use as a guitar top. However, the maple they sell is all rather yellow in color. If I were to bleach it out, would I ever get it light enough for dyes to be accurate in their color?

I'd hate to do a carriburst only to find that the blue ends up green....

Here's an example of the color I'm dealing with:

If it can be bleached light enough, what bleach should I use (I'm in Michigan, USA, if it makes a diff)?

[westhemann]

yes it can be bleached white enough...use wood bleach

i do think it is a shame to change that color,dark maple is my favorite,but it can be done

[Drak]

1) Yes it will work.

2) Use 'Wood Bleach', a 2-part type of bleach made by Klean Strip. I'm sure you'll find it locally if you look around, it's a pretty common product.

This is the proper kind of wood bleach to do what you're trying to do.

3) -Very- cool-looking Maple there.

4) If there are weird marks or streaks going thru your Maple, they may not come out 100% of the way, but will usually lighten up enough not to bother you.

5) You might be surprised when you sand the Maple, the surfaces darken over time. It might wind up lighter than your pics look by the time you sand down a bit past the outer surface.

6) The bleach only goes down about a 1/32". Any hard sanding after it's been bleached will go past the bleached wood back into the normal darker wood, so be aware beforehand.

You can do a light sand safely, and actually it needs a light sand as the bleach makes the wood react much like water, it raises the grain, but no hard-core sanding, or the surface will wind up mottled where you went thru on some spots and didn't on others.

7) Use caution and a respirator, or do it outside, the fumes from that stuff are not good for you, and if you get any on you, you will be -acutely- aware of it.

8) I normally use either a cheap paintbrush or one of those black sponge applicators.

9) Don't expect to sit there and watch it work in front of you. Apply the bleach, then just set it aside for at least 8-12 hours. Don't poke at it or otherwise f*ck with it, just leave it alone and it will ...'do it's thang'.

10) Good luck, it's cool stuff bleaching wood!

[kings_x]

What about bleaching darker wood like mahogany or leopardwood?

Will that bleach work on those as well?

[westhemann]

i have used it successfully on mahogany

[skibum5545]

Yeah hopefully drak will get back in here with a pic of his purple lacewood Warlock. Damn, I don't even play guitar and I want one of those bad boys!