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Thread: Transtint mixed with finish that has flatteners

  1. #1

    Transtint mixed with finish that has flatteners

    I read this on Homestead Finishing's Transtint data sheet in the section on mixing transtint with finish as a toner:

    "...Use only gloss finish, unsatisfactory results may be experienced with satin, semi-gloss and flat finishes."

    I have done this before with semi-gloss but never with satin or flat. Has anyone had issues with flatter finishes?

    Thanks

  2. #2
    No, but as I've been taught, the issue is the dye gravitates to the flattening agents and saturates these particles more readily than the material suspended in, = spotty dye.
    So, the flatter it is, the more likely you'll get a mucky, muddled result. Give it a test shot and see before proceeding.

    I've actually let a jar of solvent based finish sit for a few days, allowing flattener to settle to the bottom, then pour off the clear top layer without mixing, so I may tone with essentially a gloss/semi-gloss, but still have product compatibility without buying another gallon of gloss for toning.

    Not likely this is an option with water based finish, based on it's completely different characteristics.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    It's sometimes considered a "best practice"...or at least a good idea...to use the flatter sheen of something for that final coat and use gloss for those initial and intermediate coats to build the finish. This plays into tinting well as the theme of this thread. The few times that I've added dye to finish (typically for my guitar projects), I actually put the dye in my second coat of Target EM1000 universal sealer as it's "very clear" and works nicely for working out the color. But I've put it in the gloss clear top coat products, too, on occasion and it works nicely. I suspect that Jeff may be correct that the flatting agents might affect color consistency.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #4
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    I've put TT in General Finishes EnduroClear Poly and High Performance satin a few times to adjust color. Never had a problem with it being speckled, etc. I think Jeff R. is right as to what might happen, but it hasn't happened with the finishes and levels I've used. I'm not adding a lot of dye, just enough to tint the color from brown to red, for example, maybe 1 drop in 10 ml of finish.

    John

  5. #5
    Thanks all. I assumed the risk would be the flattening agents absorbing tint more than the rest. I will try it with a small sample to see what happens.

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Really thorough mixing of the finish...which really needs to be done with anything that's not "gloss" to insure an even sheen would hopefully mitigate most risk I would think.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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