I've done a search
I'm kicking around the idea of a blue burst on my next project, so what I wanna know is:
what wood dyes do u guys use/have experience with?
flakes or concentrate?
water, alcohol or other soluable?
shelf life?
happy with results?
where do u get it?
where to get it inexpensively?
I'd apply black dye, let it dry completely, and re-sand, leaving just enough dye to pop the figure. Then apply the blues(s) of your choosing, followed by a clear coat. For more of a 3-D effect, apply a tinted coat before clear coating. Allow the finish to cure for at least a week, then rub out the finish to the sheen level of your choice.
My favorite dyes are Transtint concentrated aniline dyes from Jeff Jewitt at:
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Transtints are more resistant to fading from UV exposure than any of the other dyes I've tested. Red and blue dyes seem more prone to UV fading than earth/wood tones.
They're versatile:
They're concentrated (makes it easy to experiment with different saturation levels);
They can be diluted with water, denatured alcohol, and lacquer thinner;
They can be used to create a tinted clear coat when added to shellac, lacquer, and water-borne clear coats.
If you're not concerned about UV fading, or your clear coat contains a UV inhibitor, Transfast powdered dyes cost less; water only:
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There's a good video on Fine Woodworking magazine's website that features TBer James Condino applying a green sunburst finish on figured maple using dye and traditional french polishing technique:
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General Finishes pre-mixed water-borne dyes are very good, and you won't have to do any mixing. I haven't tested their fade-resistance yet, but they penetrate well, provide very consistent colors, and don't raise the grain much at all:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21632&filter=general finishes dye
For the best possible results, complete a finishing test piece using the same wood species as the actual project.
If you choose a water-borne dye, you'll usually want to pre-raise the grain with water, let it dry, and sand it back with 400-grit before applying dye; hasn't always been necessary with the GF pre-mixed dyes.
Dye usually looks a little flat and lifeless until the clear coat goes on; to find out exactly what your completed project will look like, make sure to apply clear coat to your test piece. If you select an oil-based clear coat, the color will shift toward amber, providing a warmer appearance than a clear water-borne finish; however, under an oil-baed finish,
blues can shift to green; red to orange.
I'd use a transparent, non-yellowing clear coat over blue; clear WB finishes are getting a little better with each passing year.
Good luck with your project!
