A question of dye

[Ray Bell]

I applied a tangerine Rit fabric dye to a throw away bowl. It did color it, but it is far from the luminescent effect that I have seen on here. Is this just the wrong dye?

[David E Keller]

Did you go ahead and finish it after coloring it? I think most of the 'pop' comes from the finish over the top of the dye.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I agree with David. I don't get the true color until after I apply poly to the piece.

[Prashun Patel]

It's normal for dye to 'die' after it dries. It'll come back to life after top coating.

[Ray Bell]

Actually I did. I followed David's recipe (except I used Rit, not food coloring), of dye, BLO, multi coats of wipe on poly. I did not shellac it.

[Paul Douglass]

Ray, I've had great coloring with food coloring. Don't think it comes in orange though. The type of wood is important also. Maple, white birch dyes great. Some others not so.

[David E Keller]

Actually I did. I followed David's recipe (except I used Rit, not food coloring), of dye, BLO, multi coats of wipe on poly. I did not shellac it.

I don't think the shellac would have made a difference. The only things I can think of are 1)did you sand enough before applying the dye and 2)if it was a really plain piece of wood, it might not have much 'pop' even with the dye.

[Ray Bell]

It is pine. I suppose that could make a big difference.
Thanks all, I'll keep experimenting.

[Don Alexander]

i can't see it :D:D

pics?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ray,

I could be wrong but I suspect any wood that has a lot pitch wouldn't accept as much dye as woods without tar and pitch. In the case of pine, if it was 150 dry barnwood it might but new stuff...I'd have my doubts. I could be wrong!

[John Keeton]

...but it is far from the luminescent effect that I have seen on here. Is this just the wrong dye?Ray, I don't think you will achieve much luminescence with pine. As Paul said, most of the dye applications are done on maple.

If you are practicing up for the curly maple you have, why not turn the form you are going to do with the maple, but leave it just a little larger so you can take off another 1/8" or so. Try the dye and then you can turn away what you have done and start over.

You will need to sand it to a finished state before applying the dye.

[William Hutchinson]

There must be something in the material to 'pop'. With plain pine, which is difficult to dye/stain, there isn't the chatoyancy and/or distinguishing grain pattern (ie tiger maple) that would lend itself to enhancement. Generally pine requires a blotch control to evenly color and the finish coat provides the degree of sheen that you select.

[john taliaferro]

good morning I have been using sharpies to color tops and was told not to any idea why ? they work with a air hose to make a miniature spray rig are quick and clean . carb cleaner wash off . john t

[William Bachtel]

Ray, I've had great coloring with food coloring. Don't think it comes in orange though. The type of wood is important also. Maple, white birch dyes great. Some others not so.

Orange wood come from Red and Yellow.

[Ray Bell]

Ray, I don't think you will achieve much luminescence with pine. As Paul said, most of the dye applications are done on maple.

If you are practicing up for the curly maple you have, why not turn the form you are going to do with the maple, but leave it just a little larger so you can take off another 1/8" or so. Try the dye and then you can turn away what you have done and start over.

You will need to sand it to a finished state before applying the dye.

Good idea John. So far I have only turned the outside of one of the maple blanks. Which means it is still attached to the faceplate, and still has a foot, so it will be easy to just leave the inside a little thicher, and experiment with the dye.

[Ralph Lindberg]

Ray, I don't think you will achieve much luminescence with pine. As Paul said, most of the dye applications are done on maple.

If you are practicing up for the curly maple you have, why not turn the form you are going to do with the maple, but leave it just a little larger so you can take off another 1/8" or so. Try the dye and then you can turn away what you have done and start over.

You will need to sand it to a finished state before applying the dye.

I recently read a piece on Dye vrs Stain, the author closed with the best synopsis I have seen on this

With open-pore woods, use Stain
With closed-pore, dense woods use Dye

[Bernie Weishapl]

I find that pine is a really poor wood to try and dye light colors. Dark reds, greens, blues, etc will do ok but lighter colors won't show much.

[Ray Bell]

I have the bottom of the maple bowl still on the lathe and sanded now. The chatoyancy is really standing out. I think you folks are right. I think there will be a big difference between the pine vs. this maple. I am going to go ahead and dye the bottom now while still on the lathe.

Thanks again all

[Prashun Patel]

Yikes! I'd be scared using dye on or near a lathe... But I tend to be a sloppy sort.

[Ray Bell]

You can't be any sloppier than I am, but I am going to cover the ways well with wax paper.

[John Keeton]

Ray, you should give us some preliminary pics!! I am interested in seeing how the curly maple looks - since I retained several of those blanks!!:D

[Ray Bell]

Here you go John. The first pic is still on lathe, and sanded. The next two are after dying. I used a teal green Rit dye, but must have mixed nit a little strong. It came out more of a blue.

And Prashun, I did take it off of the late to dye. After I thought about it, it was just on there by the faceplate. It would have been silly not to take it off.

[John Keeton]

Ray, that looks fantastic!! Really got me excited about the rest of this curly maple. And, almost makes me want to go back and buy more! You might be able to heighten the green with a real light yellow wash to offset the blue - depending on what you are after.

[Ray Bell]

Thanks John, I was very happy with the figure in this blank. It is the one that looked to have the least figure of the two in the rough form, so I think the second one will be even nicer.

[Paul Douglass]

That beautiful Ray! Nice work. By the way, I dye and wet sand on my lathe all the time, I just keep a piece of plastic close by and through it over the ways. I also keep a good coat of wax on them.

[Ray Bell]

Thanks Paul, I got the inside turned today. Trying to decide what dye to use for it. Probably the same color.