#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

The Effects of Coffee, in a good way, folks........

Here’s an old one that you might have forgotten about? Wood Stain from a few Pantry items:

Coffee- (ground)
Oil-(food safe)

I took a shallow bowl, but a deep plate will also work & poured enough Oil to saturate the Coffee.
Mix them around evenly with your fingers.
Make sure your wood is smooth & void of all splinters before applying.
Apply in a rubbing motion,with the direction of the grain.
Let dry & wipe grounds off & repeat or finish with your favorite technique.

That’s it! Easy peasy, Old time simplicity! Here’s what I used:

Lee’s Dark roast Vietnamese Coffee
Trader Joe’s Premium Xtra virgin Olive oil

WOOD USED: POPLAR

Edit: I originally did this to show a twenty-something some simple old time techniques that really work?

Here’s what another application looks like- 2 in total, will most likely add a coat of the Olive oil I used to finish it?

FYI: harder woods are more resistant to this method & need more applications for darker colors, while soft woods yield darker colors?

4 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on October 2, 2019 at 1:40pm

Just to verify, that was only one application in the above pic?

Permalink Reply by T-Gripped on October 2, 2019 at 2:12pm

I am gonna try this using coffee grounds. No sense 'wasting' good coffee... worst that could happen is it doesn't work as well/I make a mess [nothing new there]/and I still get a cup 'o joe. Thanks for sharing Brian!

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on October 2, 2019 at 3:03pm

Make sure they’re dry, I tried moist grounds & it just made a mess, the moisture impeded the penetration of the oil & didn’t extract hardly any color? However, I have used dried spent grounds & butcher’s block oil with success, just not as dark as unused grounds. I’m only really using a few teaspoons at a time,since it’s dark, so not a gross waste of coffee? Hope to see your results :)

Permalink Reply by Mikala on October 2, 2019 at 10:54pm

So another thought... I’ve used (rubbing) alcohol with fabric dyes before on wood... high (90 odd%) alcohol... worked well in that it didn’t raise the grain... and on solid body wood (is, solid body electric, not thin soundboard... in one case, altered the color (more pinkish than intended red), but with coffee grounds, a couple applications? Then add protective finish... Will experiment, report back.

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on October 3, 2019 at 12:48pm

Yes, I have been down that road before Mikala, very disappointing when they come out looking like your child's wood blocks? I liked Minwax clear base & oil pigments better,more true to color? I applied coffee only once, but I may post an edit with 2-3 applications later?

Permalink Reply by Mikala on October 3, 2019 at 2:09pm

Hmmm, guess I’ll save that for a children’s instrument build. :^)

RSS

Welcome to
Cigar Box Nation

Sign Up
or Sign In

Or sign in with: