One sheet of very inexpensive, workshop-grade plywood is now a prototype of a 23″ x 47″ coffee table.

So, now it’s clear why I had a bit of India ink. I’d heard last summer that it seemed to be gaining popularity in use so had to give it a go. If you’re looking for a pure-black stain, this is a good choice.

I think on the next, presentation-version of the coffee-table, I’ll use finished Baltic Birch plywood as it has fewer voids and more robust surfaces. Maybe red-oak for the legs, still stained black of course.