Aniline dyes

[frank burns]

Hello all, I'm a new woodwacker and could use some guidance on creating an aniline dye "fruitwood" stain for use on a birchply shelf / birch leg table.
Also any suggestions for overall 'formulation' of colors using these dyes and subsequent finidhing option. (I suspect that some manufacturers would create something like this).

Thanks,
Frank

[Cecil Arnold]

Woodworker's Supply sells a water soluble aniline die #W1630 that they call "Fruitwood." Their web is woodworker.com.

[Jim Becker]

Just be aware that "fruitwood" is a nearly meaningless and subjective concept. There is no such color in real life and you could have some nice coffee money if you had a nickle for every finishing product that bore that particular name over the years!

My suggestion is to acquire a number of basic colors of dye (TransTint liquids are nice as they are easy to use) and work out your own combinations on scraps from your project. Document each step combination so you can repeat it in the future. Use distilled water, too. Alan Turner told me a wonderful method for keeping dye on-hand...just keep it in some of those water bottles that we all drink from and normally discard in the recycling or trash! BTW, be sure to top coat your samples with the intended finish after knocking down the raised grain as the dyed wood will not look anything like the final product unless you do that.

[Earl Kelly]

Frank, I'll put in my 2 cents. I like Arti dyes, Highland Hardware sells them, as well as a few other places. Just remember dyes when mixed 30 gr. per liter usually make a very strong dye. You may have to thin or mix up a weaker solution. Also, my vote is for water based, not hard to mix, heat water(distilled) and mix. Store in any kind of container just label it, I've got some mixed that are several yrs. old, just shake up and use.

[Jamie Buxton]

In theory, one can start from just primary colors to blend up anything one wants. In practice it is very difficult. If you're going for "fruitwood" -- whatever the heck that really is -- buy a few dyes which manufacturers have preblended to be something like that. Try them out to see which one you like.

[Carl Eyman]

Homestead Finishing, among others, sells a device called a colr wheel. It shows what happens when you mix various colors. You can get almost any sort of color you want on this.

[Jim Becker]

Homestead Finishing, among others, sells a device called a colr wheel. It shows what happens when you mix various colors. You can get almost any sort of color you want on this.

A very useful tool to have. One thing, though...it only tells you want the dye will look like in the bottle. In order to understand its effect on the wood, one must test it on scraps from the project at hand as I mentioned above. The wood, itself, also contributes to the final color.

[frank burns]

thanks everyone for your input
PS - I am delighted at the openness and helpfulness of the woodworker community. In the short time I've been in it, I've found it a great place to be.
Frank