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Thread: Wood dye

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
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    Carrollton, Georgia
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    Wood dye

    I had never used dye before, always staining any project that needed it. I used TransTint dye on a recent project and I must say I am quite impressed with dye's attributes. Here's what I like about it :

    • Even dark colors cover quite well especially if not wiped off.
    • If not wiped off (at least in the rather porous oak that I used) it looks good, not splotchy where there was more dye in one area than another when applied.
    • Covers glue well.

    Disadvantages :

    • When mixed with water it doesn't fill pores of open-grained woods. The fix is to seal the wood first (which messes with the color quality), fill the pores with filler or apply an appropriate color stain either under or over the dye coat to fill the pores.
    • Gloves must be worn as chemicals in the dyes are caustic.
    • The wood grain must be raised and sanded before applying water dissolved dye.
    Last edited by Yonak Hawkins; 11-16-2017 at 9:36 PM.

  2. #2
    I use it diluted in alcohol thus avoiding the raised grain. It goes very smooth. Actually so smooth, there is very little time before it all gets absorbed and/or evaporated. After it dries, it looks mate, flat and uninspiring.
    I like using it to tint shellac or lacquer.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    I'm a big fan of using dye to color wood...it's my normal go-to when I need to do that and I use water soluble products. As you note, it's sometimes not the best for very open pore woods (like oak and ash) and in those cases, a stain that includes pigments can be the better choice. Some folks will use the dye to get the tone, seal it in and then use a contrasting pore filler to get their intended effect, too.

    You're spot on with the gloves and what the gloves are made of is important...some will actually pass the color.

    I haven't had much issue with grain-raise and honestly don't worry about it a whole lot. I typically seal with de-waxed shellac and after I spray the first of two very light coats, I knock the "nibs" down with 400 paper. The surface is very smooth at that point.

    The one challenge with using dye comes on "large" workpieces where application by hand can sometimes make for some uneven color issues because you can't work the whole piece fast enough. For that, I've taken to spraying the dye. In fact, I'm about to do that with a workpiece that's 81" x 51"...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Austin, TX
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    153
    Jim, what’s the mixture you plan on spraying? I recently tried spraying DNA mixed with transtint but it left circles around the pores in my walnut tabletop. Tried a mixture of 50/50 DNA and lacquer thinner but that didn’t work either. Ended up doing the whole thing by hand which turned out nice, but was a lot more work. Would love to know how you plan on going about it, what your mixture is, how heavy the coats are, etc.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    The dye is already mixed and is using a water carrier, not DNA. My thought for spraying is purely relative to the size of the workpiece which is 81" x 51"...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  6. #6
    Yonak, I don't find all the advantages and disadvantages to be universal truths. Splotch - even with dye is a function of the wood and application method.

    I don't think of 'wiping off' dye. It's not meant to be applied to the point of excess and then removed like a stain. Instead, I think it's about "wiping AROUND" to obtain even coverage. In many cases this means applying by sponge or rag using water as the carrier, and working the surface with the applicator after the color is on.

    Like Jim, I don't worry too much about grain raising. The reason is that I find myself almost always applying a film finish on top of dye. To not do so risks burning through the color with normal use. After 2-3 coats of top, sanding the finish smooths out the surface.

  7. #7
    I have had really good results spraying Trans-tint dyes in water, much less blotching than using a brush or rag.

    The cheapest HF sprayer does good since it is basically just spraying water.

    I follow with a grey synthetic wool pad.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    East Rochester, NY
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    179
    Gloves are a necessity.....DAMHIK

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,685
    Quote Originally Posted by Raymond Seward View Post
    Gloves are a necessity.....DAMHIK
    Yup...and not the thin, cheapie ones, either. Even if the dye doesn't get through, they break way too easy sometimes with the same, um...effect. (DAMHIKT, too )
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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