dyeing veneer

[Stephen Hibbs]

I have seen turqoise veneer used in some segmented work and want to get some too. I am assuming it is just plain veneer (ash or maple?) dyed with some concoction probably involving DNA (but hopefully not). Does anyone have any hints on how this is done? I want to make some colorful veneer of my own.
-Stephen

[Gary DeWitt]

I'm interested too. Tried to dye veneer black with anniline dye once, couldn't get the dye to penetrate all the way through the veneer even after a couple days soak. Any hints on how to get black veneer, anyone?

[Jason Hallowell]

Dyed veneers are used a lot in cue making, and most cuemakers buy pre-dyed because it is such a pain to do yourself. Sycamore is the most commonly used wood because it accepts the dye better than just about anything. Sometimes poplar is used, but poplar doesn't take the dye as evenly. You will drive yourself crazy if you try to dye a harder wood like maple or ash all the way through. If you will not see the edge of the veneer, you can use just about any wood, and any dye, even rit dye. If you want it dyed all the way through, expensive analine dyes are the way to go. Some people have had success using just water and a long long soak time, but I would think using a solvent as a vehicle for the dye would cut down on the time a lot. There are several places that carry pre-dyed veneers in a variety of colors and sizes.

[Claude Arragon]

I once saw a web site a a guy who dies the tree while alive. Flabergastingly nice.
I'll look for it and post it here.

[Jim Becker]

I could be mistaken, but the "dyed through" products use some kind of pressure process to force the color into the wood/veneer fully. I don't know of any sources for what you describe, however.

[rick fulton]

TS Woods has the color dyed into the live tree's growth rings. Some fantastic colors too.
http://www.tswoods.com/index.htm

[Gary DeWitt]

Rick - yeah, this guy must have taken that old food color and celery grade school science experiment to the extremes, what a fantastic idea!

Anyone have a source for already dyed veneer? I did do a search, with little success.

Thanks.

[Vaughn McMillan]

TS Woods has the color dyed into the live tree's growth rings. Some fantastic colors too.
http://www.tswoods.com/index.htm
That is too cool. I might have to get a bowl blank just for grins.

[Jason Hallowell]

Rick - yeah, this guy must have taken that old food color and celery grade school science experiment to the extremes, what a fantastic idea!

Anyone have a source for already dyed veneer? I did do a search, with little success.

Thanks.

Wood River (woodriverveneer.com) Prather (prathercue.com) Constantines (constantines.com) Herzog (herzogveneers.com)

Prather is tailored specificaly towards cue-makers, but they have great service. I have also had many great experiences with Wood River, and buy my thicker veneers from them. I know of cue-makers that have used Constantines and Herzog, but I have no experience with either one.

[Jason Hallowell]

I could be mistaken, but the "dyed through" products use some kind of pressure process to force the color into the wood/veneer fully. I don't know of any sources for what you describe, however.

Correct, commercial makers use high pressure with analine dyes, and sometimes heat as well.

[Andy Hoyt]

I wonder if this is the place that Keith Burns' Purple Haze (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=28367) chunk originally came from.