37 Ammonia Fuming: How is the ammonia applied?
Description
This article is from the Woodworking FAQ Collection 1, by multiple authors.
37 Ammonia Fuming: How is the ammonia applied?
The most common procedure is to place the workpiece(s)in a well-sealed
enclosure, such as a plastic box, a can or a tent of polyethylene
sheeting). Then you place one or more small containers of ammonia solution
on the floor the tent. An alternative is to brush the wood directly with
ammonia solution, but this has the disadvantage of grain-raising and
prolonged exposure (of yourself!) to ammonia fumes. However it is said to
be practical to do touch-ups by direct application of ammonia solution.
I've found it convenient to pour a small amount (i.e., 4-8 oz) of ammonia
solution into a wide-mouth glass jar with a tight-fitting screw-on lid. I
place the closed jar (one or more) into the tent and when everything is
arranged and the tent opening is ready to be taped or clamped shut, I reach
in, remove the lid(s) and then quickly seal up the chamber. With a little
planning and care, you can avoid significant exposure (of yourself) to the
fumes during these steps. As mentioned below, a modest-size electric fan
could be helpful to direct the fumes away from you while filling the
container(s) and doing the final enclosure seal-up.
You should not be able to detect a strong ammonia smell from any modest
distance (say 5-8 feet) if the enclosure is properly sealed. However, some
ammonia odor will be present right at the taped or clamped seams in most
cases. This is not likely to be a problem since the procedure is only to be
done outdoors.
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