Bleaching Wood-Turned Vessels
by Nick Cook

Note: The following directions work well for the bleaching process of vessels turned from wood with a moderate to high moisture content.

1. Materials
   Heavy duty rubber gloves
   Plastic container (old bowl or butter bucket)
   Cheap 1" or 2" paint brush (sponge or nylon)
   Old measuring cup
   Safety glasses
   Old aluminum baking pan 11" x 14" or larger
   Two-parts wood bleach (i.e., Klean strip or Dalys)
2. Mixing
   Clean surface to be bleached (mixture of 50/50 mix of solution A and solution B)
   Mix enough for two coats (mixture weakens after 3-4 hours)
3. Application
   Wear gloves and safety glasses when applying the mixture
   Cover the entire surface to be bleached with the mixture while vessel is in aluminum pan
   Set the vessel in sun or under heat lamp (high wattage)
   After surface is dried, apply second coat of mixture
   Repeat process until the desired texture or color is attained
4. Reapplication
   If surface appears blotchy or uneven, apply a uniform coat of solution B only
   After an additional 2 to 3 hours, if wood is still too dark, apply a second coat of a new mixture of solutions A and B
   
5. Sanding
   Allow the vessel to dry for 12 to 24 hours out of direct sunlight
   Sand lightly with 400 grit sand paper
6. Finish