Layering Transtint Dye

[John Goodin]

I have limited use (knowledge) of Transtint dye and mix them in denatured alcohol. I am planning on using two colors to create a little depth and shimmer to the wood. Should I spray a coat shellac between the two colors? On one hand it seems like a good idea to seal the color in and on the other it seems like extra work since everything is alcohol based and being sprayed. What about the possibility of spraying the dyes in the shellac? Developing the depth and shimmer is most important. Since it will be going on tables it will eventually be topped with Waterlox or Arm R Seal.

[glenn bradley]

I have done this on mahogany. Blaring yellow dye followed by a sealer coat. Brown mahogany over that followed by a clear top coat. The yellow exaggerates the mahogany's "shimmer" and perceived "movement" as you walk past.

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[Malcolm McLeod]

I have done this on mahogany. Blaring yellow dye followed by a sealer coat....

Same for me with curly cherry. The yellow really pops the grain.

And brace your feet; this "blaring" that Glenn refers to is an understatement. It is neon in the mixing jar and almost so on the wood. The sealer then tones it way down.

[Prashun Patel]

I have layered. I don’t seal.

[John TenEyck]

I think you get the most chatoyance to the finish when you apply the dye directly onto bare wood and you get the most depth when you layer the finish. If you want both, you do both as Glenn showed. It doesn't matter if everything that has color in it is soluble in alcohol, they will still be discreet layers unless you are just talking about dyes (no binder). I often spray dye in shellac or sometimes in my topcoat, called toners, when I need to adjust the color or I am really worried about blotching. Those finishes don't have the same depth as the layered approach, however.

Make some sample boards to decide what works best for you.

John

[Jim Becker]

There is also the technique that's popular with figured wood to apply one color and sand back multiple times to get into the figure and then apply the overall color separately. Without sealing. That's what I did with this curly maple piece:

[Stan Calow]

Once you seal it, how does the next layer of dye penetrate? If its dye in alcohol, doesn't the second coat of dye dissolve the shellac seal coat? I have added dye to shellac before to simplify adding color. Unless you sand down between coats as Jim describes, why not just mix the two dye colors together? Just asking.

[Wayne Lomman]

If you want depth, you apply stain directly to the timber. Sealing and applying another colour over the sealer whether as dye or dye mixed with shellac is toning and you change the colour but lose depth. Adding the dyes to shellac and applying ends up the same. Two toners instead of one however.

Applying 2 coats of different coloured dyes is extra work for nothing unless you do as Jim says and sand between the dye coats which is probably the best approach for what you are trying to achieve. This will highlight the chatoyance as John said.

A word of caution about using yellow. It is the one colour that cannot be counteracted if you get it wrong and it is the most powerful of all the primary stain colours so it doesn't take much to get a result. Cheers

[Jim Becker]

To Wayne's point....ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS work out the finishing regimen on scrap of the same material your projects i built from through at least the first final clear coat to insure that things will work out the way you intend them. Some steps when messed up really are very hard to recover from an experimenting on your actual project is a no-no.

[John Goodin]

Unfortunately the biggest scrap is about the size of a deck of cards. It is mango wood and not available locally so I just going to use the underside of the bench top and tape off the area exposed area outside the apron. Probably going to make three or four different samples at the same time and let wife pick her favorite. I can hit it with a sander when done.

[Jim Becker]

Underside is good, especially since you can remove the evidence afterward without affecting the project!