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I am using a water based Aniline Dye on a test strip of Red Oak. I did not want to do a full mix of one quart, so I mixed 13.672 grains (I used a reloading scale for weight) to 1 ounce hot water. I then let it cool. I masked an Oak board off in 8 sections and applied different dyes. I applied the dye wet and wiped off the dye one or two minutes later. All 8 samples came out flat looking with the wood grain flat. Is there some way to get more grain contrast without going to a pigment type stain?
P.S. What is the shelf life on Aniline Dye (Moser’s Dye) I am getting wildly conflicting information.
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That's one of the characteristics of dyes, a flat uniform colour. Life will be brought back by a polish of some sort. If the timber underneath is uniformly coloured, the new colour caused by the dye will be uniform too. If the colour of the timber is markedly varied, the dye won't change that characteristic.
However, you've achieved the beginning stage of the routine that many people follow for finishing oak(s). Dye to achieve the background colour. Then you may (or may not, depending) add a barrier wash coat of polish, perhaps a dewaxed shellac, nitrocellulose lacquer, a thinned varnish, etc., followed by a heavily pigmented darker glaze meant to lodge in, and highlight the grain, and lastly final polishing, which may also be tinted for effect. Some jobs in oak are done with a full fill of the grain too, but it doesn't sound like you are after this effect.
Dry powder aniline dyes will keep for years. I can vouch for that because I'm still effectively mixing and using dry powder aniline dyes I bought twenty years ago. Water based dyes are generally pretty light fast, whereas spirit based dyes tend to be fugitive.
Jeff Jewitt has some interesting formulations at his Homestead Finishing site that can be mixed with any selection or combination of water and/or alcohol (and perhaps even mixed with oil- I'm not sure about this last medium though.) Anyway, I've never used them but they sound interesting and I'm curious about investigating their properties at some point.
I have no idea though regarding Moser dyes. I've never seen or used them and have no idea what form they come in. Slainte, RJ.
*When you talk of a heavily pigmented darker glaze, who this be something like a Walnut minwax or am I mixing pigment with 1 or 2 pound cut of shellac. If the later is true would artists paints be my best bet for a good pigment?
*It seems to be my week to provide links in three or four threads to this website! I've never purchased any products from the linked supplier, but the necessary information about many finishing products, how they work, the supply of those products, and information on how to use them, along with technical and advisory back-up is pretty much all there from what I can see. Anyway Michael, just click on the link for a description of glazes, and move around from there. Slainte, RJ.
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