Behlen's dye

[Jay Buckler]

So I used some Behlens solarlux dye on a 16"x42" hard maple table top. I sanded to 400grit. I cut the dye w/their reducer & retarder to 20%dye, 40% each on the other. I practiced on samples & was thinking I was getting there. I flooded the end grain & top w/50/50 retarder/reducer. Yet I still got some blotching. So I'm wondering what do you use for a prestain w/this stuff? Should I have mixed the reducers/retarder w/lacquer thinner also? Wife likes it but I guess it's not how my minds eye envisaged it. Was thinking about putting a little dye in the lacquer itself I spraying on a few coats. Any insight?

thanks

Jay

[Scott Holmes]

Dyes can and will still cause blotching; not as much as a pigment stain but maple can/will still blotch. If you add color to your lacquer (creating a toner) make sure you seal the dye with de-waxed shellac first. Toners should be apllied very lightly and only between clear coats.

TIP: If at anytime after clear coating your wife says it's perfect... YOU ARE DONE!

[Bob Wingard]

With blotch prone or questionable woods, I have had good results with fogging on very light coats of dye. That way, they are practically dry when they hit the surface, and don't penetrate very much at all. It's the deep penetration coupled with undulating grain that causes much of the blotchies.