Trans Tint Dyes

[John Terefenko]

May have been asked before but I could not find it so will ask again sorry. I want to use trans tint dyes to color some maple wood (small items) My question is what is the ratio mix to get the most vibrant color from the dye using warm water?? I will be mixing in 4 ounce glass bottles. I am using the liquid dyes. I will be using bright colors such as yellow, green, blue, purple and red and black. Thanks in advance.

[Jim Becker]

I think you have to experiment to get to where you want it to be...there's no "secret sauce" ratio that I've ever seen mentioned. But then again, I could have missed it. I use these dyes for my own work and just add drops until I get to where I want to be on my test pieces. (which you need to let dry, knock the nubs off and coat with at least one coat of clear. I use a spray bomb of shellac for that)

[Stan Calow]

John, the Homestead Finishing site (I did not realize they were the makers of TT) has some guidance on a recommended mixhttp://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/transtint-liquid-dyes/ But I've used it a lot, and never really measure - one squirt, two squirts, etc., is as close as I get. I don't think the mix impacts vibrancy (I read that as brightness), just more dye, more color. Not enough color, more coats. You probably know it looks very different when you put a finish coat on it, so hard to judge by itself.

[John Terefenko]

Thanks will play around and experiment. I should be getting in a couple days. I have some older product but those are more muted colors like browns. I will see what I come up with. Thanks again.

[Curt Harms]

A little bit of a thread hijack but I just found out homestead finishing has their own Ebay store. I think their prices are the same but free shipping on smaller stuff.

[glenn bradley]

The website says 1oz per quart. I have only used that ratio when wanting a very dark, overpowering brown for some irregular material. I do find that keeping detailed notes on what I am doing makes duplicating that later super easy. For example, once I get what I am after I would write, "8 drops brown mahogany, 4 drops black, 30ml DNA" on a strip of paper that I tape (laminate) to the top of the mason jar that I have mixed it in.

If I need more I use the same formula in another container and add this to the marked container. I don't know about with water but, with DNA the mix stays usable for a long time. Not sure how long but, I have used stuff over a year old.

[mike mcilroy]

Glenn the water version stays usable for long periods as well.
John as mentiined above just season to taste starting on the light side. If you're close after it dries try 2 coats. If you want repeatability definitely take notes as Glenn said. I have a couple of really nice colours I now have no idea how to recreate.

[John Terefenko]

Thanks everyone. Will be playing around with this this winter in the shop. Just got my order yesterday.

[glenn bradley]

Glenn the water version stays usable for long periods as well.

Thanks Mike. Good to know. Ya gotta love the forums. Good knowledge-share all around.

[Ted Phillips]

You might want to look at adding the tint to ethyl alcohol (DNA). This will dry much faster and allow you to see the effect on the wood much sooner. And it doesn't raise the grain. In addition, you can add the tint to a dilute shellac (something under a 1 pound cut) as a wash-coat for the wood that colors it at the same time.

TedP