I want to start using dye. Where do I start?

[Eric Schatz]

Just wondering where I can start using dye. What products/procedures work best for you guys? What's something foolproof that I can start with?
Thanks

[Marvin Hasenak]

I prefer the Fiebings alcohol based leather dyes. They come in all colors and soak I pretty good. A good source of information are the pipemakers, as in smoking pipes, they have mastered the dye techniques. They also use other techniques that are transferable to woodturners, for one search "rustication" or "French sanding wheel". Another source is using maple are the muzzleloader rifle builders. They also use techniques that are transferable to woodturning, search "stippling" or "stock carving".

Warning searching in either the pipemaking or muzzleloader area can get expensive, real expensive.

[Gary Baler]

Marvin ...... I will get some flak for this, but I use Rit dye quite a bit. Get the liquid 8 oz bottle for about $3. It doesn't seem to fade, it doesn't penetrate as deep ... even though it will give you a full dark color if you want. Not penetrating too deeply allows you to sand it back and let the grain pop. If you want to start out as a purist, invest about $200 in 10 shades of $20 per ounce dies. If you just want to experiment, try this. You will be limited on colors, but you can mix your own ... and if you don't like dyeing you are out the whole sum of $3. Don't let the vortex suck you in too deep if you don't have to.


Gary

[Gary Baler]

I meant to say Eric ... it seems that Marvin is already spinning in the vortex ... lol ... Gary

[Prashun Patel]

I started with Transtint dyes. They are premixed so they are easier than powders. They are also soluble in many solvents like alcohol and water.

[Lamar Wright]

Hi Eric, I just started dying wood ( Bangles & Bowls) and I use Chestnut Sprite dye. These are alcohol dyes. Amazon sell them.

[Marvin Hasenak]

It took me awhile to find my source link, but here is another dye that I have used. http://www.mightybirdtoys.com/home.php?cat=281 At the bottom is a sample pack for about $41 shipped. The sample pack is more than enough to experiment with ideas. It is diluted 1 part dye up to 15 parts of 70% rubbing alcohol. This one has bright colors. It should be all kinds of safe since it was made for dyeing bird toys. Like the other dyes, wear rubber gloves unless you want weird looking hands. This is about as cheap a method as I know of to get in to the basics of playing with dyeing wood. I used to buy a lot of plain maple, this dye was what I used to make it look special. But is it is not my favorite dye, and I have tried them all, if I find a new dye I have to try it, but I always go back to Fiebings.

Another source of the devil is Google "how to sunburst guitars", no I do not make guitars, but I have used the technique for some other stuff that I do. I will let you use your own imagination on how that would apply to a woodturning. Again this is my opinion, I think the oil based Fiebings leather dye is better for this technique.

I also forgot to add that I use Helmsman spar varnish for my dyed pieces. So far I have found that I prefer the Helmsman because it has the better UV inhibitors in the finish.

When going through the pipemakers tricks on dyeing, take good notes on how they double dye the briar. It also works with burl and some of the woods like curly and birdseye maple. Remember to save the links of where you found the info in your notes, your notes will become your manual and if you keep messing with the dye you will expand on them many times at the beginning as you experiment. Also get a good color chart on how to mix the colors, I found a good one on some leatherworkers site. Remember the notes? If you mix write it down what the ratios are in that color, and create your own custom color chart.