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Thread: Dye question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Idaho Falls, Idaho
    Posts
    1,356

    Dye question

    I bought a curly maple baseball bat blank last weekend at Woodcraft. I want to cut it in three 12" lengths, and make rolling pins. The curl in the wood is very light, and I want it to show more intensely so I thought I would dye the wood with a brown stain or dye, then sand it back, so only the ribbon curl shows the dye. I am just trying to pop the curl, not make the dye really obvious. Any suggestions on which dye/stain to use, and how to use it. What sandpaper grit would you sand to in preparation for dyeing? TIA for the help.
    Brian

    Sawdust Formation Engineer
    in charge of Blade Dulling

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
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    1,561
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    Used coffee grounds?

  3. #3
    Dye is the quickest way in the world to find out how poorly you sanded your piece!! Seriously! I use dye quite often and one needs a flawless surface. 400 is probably sufficient, 600 better. But, again, take your time at the lower grits and avoid power sanding if you can - at least from 220 upward.

    I normally use black for curly maple, but I sand it back as an undertone for other colors. If you are just wanting to pop the stripe, then perhaps a diluted brown. I have not tried that approach as I think BLO does a nice job of accenting the figure for a natural look.

    Transtint dye. Dye is a solution. Stain is a suspension and doesn't respond well to "sanding back."

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    TX, NM or on the road
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    845
    Look at some of the custom rifle stocks of muzzleloaders and center fire weapons. Some of the fancy stocks are made of maple and then dyed to the colors they want. There are 2 preferred ways, one is with "aqua fortis" the other is various dyes. Homer Dangler stains is one of the preferred stains that muzzleloaders use. I found that the Fiebings alcohol based dyes will get me about the same money, if I plan on using it all. For a small run, buying Danglers premixed is cheaper.

    This is one way to experiment using Fiebings Leather dyes, use the alcohol based dye, not the oil based version. From experience, you will need to spend a lot of time experimenting to get the effect you are looking for. For starters, try a coat of dye tan, 2 coats of oxblood dye, and then apply coats of medium brown dye. Lightly sand between each coat of dye. I also mix my dyes, for example the tan, I use a 50/50 mix of Tan dye and British Tan Dye. My oxblood is a 50/50 mix Oxblood Dye and Light Brown Dye, my Dark tan is Medium brown with a little Oxblood Dye to darken it. This gets expensive, that is 6 bottles of dye, plus a bottle of reducer to thin it if it looks to dark.

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