Aniline dye frustrations

[Bruce Page]

This is my first time using aniline dye. The instructions say to add to mediums such as benzol, touol, turpentine, Naptha, lacquer thinner, tung oil, etc. and stir frequently for the first hour. I chose to use turpentine. I’ve been stirring it frequently for a few hours and it simply is not dissolving. Am I doing something wrong? I chose turpentine only because it seemed less volatile. Should I use something else?

[John TenEyck]

What specific product are you using?

[Bruce Page]

What specific product are you using?

J.E. Moser's aniline dye stain #845247

Several reviews say it's easily mixed so I must be doing something wrong.

[Edward Dyas]

I've never used that product. The internet says that dye you have is water soluble. I've always used Mohawk Ultra Penetrating Stain. It comes already mixed with alcohol.

[Scott T Smith]

Bruce, it sounds like you have the instructions for their oil based product, but actually have a water based product. I’ve had similar problems with trying to use water based dye in oil.

Try it in water and see how it mixes.

[Bruce Page]

I've never used that product. The internet says that dye you have is water soluble. I've always used Mohawk Ultra Penetrating Stain. It comes already mixed with alcohol.
Ed, Scott, the directions say it is water, alcohol, & oil soluble. I’m trying to stain some MDF so I didn’t want to go with water. I may have no choice.

[Edward Dyas]

Try lacquer thinner. It has alcohol in it. The dye I use you can mix into a lacquer finish.

[Scott T Smith]

Ed, Scott, the directions say it is water, alcohol, & oil soluble. I’m trying to stain some MDF so I didn’t want to go with water. I may have no choice.

Bruce, why don’t you just try mixing up some small samples, solely for the intent of seeing what it will mix in?

[Bruce Page]

Bruce, why don’t you just try mixing up some small samples, solely for the intent of seeing what it will mix in?
I will give it a try with some water.

[Edward Dyas]

I don't know how much of it you mixed but it wouldn't hurt it to pour off the majority of the turps and either mix it with lacquer thinner. What turps is there would dissolve into the lacquer thinner.

How do you plan to apply the dye to MDF. You know MDF is just paper and would go really blotchy if not sprayed.

[Bruce Page]

I don't know how much of it you mixed but it wouldn't hurt it to pour off the majority of the turps and either mix it with lacquer thinner. What turps is there would dissolve into the lacquer thinner.

How do you plan to apply the dye to MDF. You know MDF is just paper and would go really blotchy if not sprayed.
Lesson learned, it dissolved almost instantly with hot water. I don’t know why they said it was turpentine soluble.
Next lesson is how to apply it to MDF. I have spray capability but don’t feel like setting it up for this little project.

Thanks for the help

[Edward Dyas]

All too often the worst thing a person can do is read the instructions.

[John TenEyck]

I'm interested to see what dyed MDF looks like. Not something I would ever have considered.

John

[Bruce Page]

John, I wasn’t too happy overall with the MDF staining. Quality MDF might be different but borg MDF looks blotchy stained. I made this v-carve plaque for my grandson. There’s enough going on that you can’t see the blotching but it’s very obvious with less busy pieces.

[John TenEyck]

That looks pretty amazing. I see the blotchiness but I never expected you could turn brown MDF blue. Thanks for opening my eyes to new possibilities.

John

[Thomas McCurnin]

With any wood like pine or mdf, they will blotch. I would use a water based pre-conditioner, the one I use is General Finishes pre-conditioner. It is really time sensitive, so one has only about 10 minutes to apply the dye. You can also seal the mdf with a quick light spray of shellac from a can, and then apply your dye. I would use a bunch of test boards and find out what works for you.

[roger wiegand]

FWIW, the Trans-Tint type dyes are supposed to be much more colorfast than aniline dyes. They dissolve well in both alcohol and water. A light coat of shellac seems to take care of most blotchiness. (though I've never stained MDF)

[Edward Dyas]

I wouldn't expect MDF to not be blotchy. We used to just put a clear lacquer finish on MDF and it was blotchy.