First fuming attempt, setup pictures

[Willibow]

So I decided to try fuming my current build. I still have yet to string and draw it since the back was scorched, but I'm confident the back is fine after doing some post heat-treatment sanding and realizing the burned material is just a very thin surface layer.

Basically, it is a 3" pipe taped over a glass of about 12 oz of ammonia. The top is capped and a piece of serving string is threaded through the cap and used to hang the bow from. The string also supports the weight of the pipe somewhat as it is held to the cap with a friction fit. It's been up a couple hours and I can't detect the smell of ammonia, so I suppose it's sealed up well enough. Checking the color isn't as easy as I'd like, but is possible by removing the cap and peeking inside or lifting the hanging bow slightly.

Any hints, tips, or gotcha's are appreciated. I've made sure to keep the family cleared out of the garage until this process is complete just as a safety measure.

Going to keep my fingers crossed that this works!

[4dog]

This is new to me "fuming" forgive my ignorance...what does this do exactly...im guessing... change wood color maybe?

[Willibow]

You're right 4dog, fuming essentially changed the color of the wood. However it happens by chemical reaction and so it penetrates into the wood much more than staining would.

I saw the following thread and became curious about it, so now I have to give it a try

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,48632.0.html

Basically, you're enclosing the wood piece in a sealed chamber with an open container of ammonia. The ammonia turns to vapor and reacts with the tannins in the wood, causing the color change.

[Aries]

Awesome man, can't wait to see your results, what kind of wood are you using?

[vtbow]

I remember smelling it as a kid when they used to clean wax off of floors (back when they used to wax floors with wax). Ammonia is a solvent for wax -- besides coloring wood. I used to hate the smell of that stuff, but they didn't protect us kids from it. Not saying it's a bad idea now. Windex can be had with ammonia in it. I think it also used to be used in smelling salts -- not sure about that one. Plenty of it around cat litter boxes, too!

[Willibow]

Aries, it's hickory with Osage tip overlays. Just checked after work, been about 21 hours and any change is very mild so far. Going to give it another day and check again tomorrow.

Vtbow, I remember the smell of it too, and at just as bad as when I was a kid! My mom used to keep a big jug of it under the kitchen sink for cleaning everything. That stuff is nasty! Got a nice whif when I pulled the cap on the fuming tube, it's as bad as ever brother 

[simson]

Don't know what 12 oz is in that glass, i would fill it half with a 25% solution of ammonia. Perhaps the Hick hasn't that much tannin acids to react with.

[Willibow]

Simson, I think the ammonia solution I'm using may be a bit light as well. It's unmarked, though it smells like it will burn the hairs out of your nose!  I'll check it again tonight and see where it is at.

[duke3192]

Re: fuming bows:  You need ammonium hydroxide, can't buy it in stores,but you can order it on Amazon, and Ebay, you need 28-30% soloution. Check out fuming furniture for a lot of info on this. The household stuff is just cleaner and smells bad, the higher the solotion the more careful you need to be. Suggest you wear gloves, you should have a respirator as ammonia displaces oxgen, if you are careful you'll be good.

[JoJoDapyro]

My advice was gonna be don't peek in there, the results could be very bad.