Faking flame?

[polkat]

I have an old Check body in nice condition, but the neck is gone. I do have one neck that fits it pretty closely, but this neck is plain with no flame. The body is fairly well flamed. So my question is; is it possible to fake flame in plain maple? Perhaps paint it in with strong tea? Any ideas? Thanks!

[MANFIO]

Yes, it's possible, but will not look right. Flamed maple looks tridimentional under a good varnish and the fake flames will not have this feature. Flamed maple "dances" under the light and the fake flames will remain still.

[Tim McTigue]

"You !@#*&(*&!@)$(&*!@**&$@*!!!!!!!!!" <---- (fake flames)

[troutabout]

On well played older violins the neck is often darkened by oils and dirt from the hand. Using water based markers of brown, orange and yellow a reasonable "flame" pattern can be faked. Darkening can be accomplished with ashes and carbon to taste and a light sealer locks everything in place.

That is the procedure I used on this neck rather than see a dull, no-patterned surface .....

[STRAD~STYLE]

Airbrush;)

[Craig Regan]

There is a process using strong acids to "burn in" the flames. It requires you to soak an absorbent yarn or cord with a prepared acid solution and then wrap the yarn around the neck in the desired flame pattern. The acid will burn in lines where the yarn made contact with the wood. It can look quite convincing if done correctly; under a good varnish it can evan look "tridimentional". The wood will have to be neutralized afterward.