# Flame Intensity



## JR Custom Calls (Jan 20, 2015)

It's always interesting to see the different shades of red in FBE. Tonight, while looking for a call specifically requested by a firefighter, I found the 'perfect' specimen. I don't even know how I misplaced it, it should have been locked up in my gun safe. 

So, any thoughts on what causes the flame to fade more in some pieces than others? Freshly cut, it seems the flame is pretty deep in most pieces... but as it dries, some of it loses a lot. Once it's stabilized, it's always much more vibrant than when it's dry, but still not always as intense as it was green. This is the most intense flame I've seen, and the figure is pretty awesome as well (it's just turned and hit with steel wool... still gotta sand and finish it, just had to snap a pic).

Reactions: EyeCandy! 12 | Way Cool 1


----------



## Kevin (Jan 20, 2015)

That's a beauty Jon.


----------



## JR Custom Calls (Jan 20, 2015)

Kevin said:


> That's a beauty Jon.


Thanks... Any thoughts on my question? You are the FBE master, after all haha


----------



## Final Strut (Jan 20, 2015)

As my daughter would say that is B.A.


----------



## phinds (Jan 20, 2015)

Kevin's the man for FBE. Personally, I've had no luck trying to keep the color from fading.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## manbuckwal (Jan 20, 2015)

Real beauty there Jonathan, awesome color !


----------



## justallan (Jan 20, 2015)

Jonathan, my only experience with it fading is from the light. Some of it will go rather fast sitting in direct sunlight. In my wood room out in the barn I've covered the window with cardboard and it doesn't lose a bit of color, yet some of the stuff I have downstairs seems like it has, but I use quarts lights and keep that room at about 70 degrees.


----------



## JR Custom Calls (Jan 20, 2015)

Well, I've seen it here as well. Pieces I got from Kevin... They were all brilliant red when I got them (wet)... then drying out in my shop with no exposure to the sun, some faded a lot more than others. 

Stabilizing seems to hold the color in them, but I'm curious why some color seems to hold better than others. It may be that the answer I'm looking for can only be answered by someone with a high tech lab and equipment to test stuff.

Reactions: Funny 1


----------



## Kevin (Jan 21, 2015)

No high tech lab is needed. All bright colored woods will fade unless they're stabilized. There a couple of exceptions but 99% will fade and even species that aren't "bright" such as cherry oak maple you name it, they will "turn" in some way usually referred to as patina. Put the FBE to the chisel or sander or hand plane again and it pops right back out. It should come as no shock that it fades. Haven't you ever noticed what happens to that Screaming Yellow Zonker color of bois d' arc?


----------



## phinds (Jan 21, 2015)

speaking of which:

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Wilson's Woodworking (Feb 12, 2015)

I am no expert in this field however I have noticed that the crotch and burl on the FBE hold their color much better than the softer straight grained wood out of the trunk of a boxelder tree. I have no idea why but it might have something to do with molecular structure of the wood which makes it much harder than the trunk.

Reactions: Agree 2


----------



## Kevin (Feb 12, 2015)

Crotch wood seems denser - I wonder if that's the reason. Although I must admit I have never made the observation that crotch and burl stay redder longer.


----------

