I am completing a bed out of mahogany and I want to use dye to bring thr color closer to an antique mahogany dresser. So far my research says that in order to preseve the figure of the wood I need to use dye. If anyone has any experience with the Trans Tint dyes, please share with me any pitfalls or problems using this product .
Thanks
Replies
I've only used it once and had good results. I'd use it again - just haven't needed to use dye on much stuff. I used the waterbased which will raise the grain, so you've got to pre-dampen the wood and sand again before dying to try and minimize the grain raising. I'm pretty sure they make a non-grain raising (alcohol based) version too. Either way I think there's a rule of thumb that says you want a different dye type than the solvent in the finish that will go over it, or you risk having the dye dissolve back out and leach into the top coat and muddy it up. Ex: don't use water based finish over water based dye, etc. And yes - you will see more of the grain figure with dye than with stain.
Waddaya mean it wont fit through the door?
I use Trans Tint dyes almost exclusively. When mixed with distilled water, it is very easy to use, almost fool proof, just be sure to work from the bottom up, so that the dye won't run onto an untreated area, as this can cause a dark streak. It will, being water based, raise the grain, so you'll have to deal with that. Mixed in alcohol it is a little bit more difficult to work with, especially on an open grain wood like mahogany. The problem is that the dye will dry so quickly on the surface, but not in the pores, that some may bleed back out on the surface, causing an odd look. Also, it will be more prone to lap marks, again because of the quick dry time. I have not used it enough in alcohol to really be of much help. Adding the dye to oil is my favorite way to use it. It will only produce light colors, when added to oil, and is really only good for imparting a tint.
One problem in dyeing mahogany to resemble aged wood, is that it will darken naturally, and can, in time end up too dark.
I color mahogany with chemicals and then use Trans Tints in oil to liven the grain and tweak the color.
If you've not used dyes before, you'll be astounded at the clarity, depth, and vivid colors possible with them. Once I used dyes, I never went back to stains.
Rob Millard
All
Thanks for your timely information. All of your responses were truly helpful. I tried applying the dye with a rag , but found that I couldn't get a uniform application. I then sprayed the finish on and that is the only way to go. I allowed the dye to dry overnight and applied Watco oil. That dried for about 2-3 days and I topcoated it with 3 coats of lacquer. By the way, I was able to match the finish of the antique chest by first applying reddish brown followed by medium brown.
They are my favorite dye stain, by far. I don't use them in water, though. That can lead to all kinds of problems with uneven penetration. Not the fault of the stain, but rather the water. Depending on the situation, I dilute TransTint with alcohol, acetone/MEK (ketone family), or lacquer thinner with just one or two percent lacquer in it. I also don't flood it on, but rather apply it just wet enough to flow out, and wipe any puddles up immediatley. I have found this routine gives me best results, even with pine and maple.
Michael R
i just started using transtint and i must say they are nice! i have been spraying both directly on the wood and sometimes a toner coat on my sealer. i also agree with the other post about not using water, to me it was much harder to work with. also the “dusting” method with a spray gun gives good results.
by the way, homestead finishing is 10 minutes from my shop, and it is a top notch family business. jeff has been a big help by sharing his knowledge.
I've used Transtint dyes to tone inlays and other smallish pieces (never have used them for large or whole projects), but I wouldn't hesitate to try it. My experience has been to add the tints to shellac in very small (drop by drop) amounts to measured amounts of shellac -- then to apply it to a test piece until I get just the color I want. Sometimes more than one dye color is needed to arrive at a final color. I feel like a chemist doing it as I make sure the amounts of each dye are carefully measured into precise amounts of shellac so I can track the results and repeat the mix when I get it the way I want it. When I'm done with the mixing/testing, I'll have several boards with pencil notes under the shellac. Then, since I usually work with blond shellac in just two or three pound cuts applied over raw wood as a sealer (the thin coat makes it easier to get a uniform application on the work piece), the final finish is applied over the dried seal coat. I usually add the final finish to my test pieces also since it is likely to darken the tinted shellac, but the dye color itself doesn't change much -- just the brightness depending on the finish. In my opinion, the time spent on the color mixing and testing is essential and I even add a wax coat to the test pieces (if it will be used in the final finish) to make sure I'm getting the end result I want. All in all it's a pain in the a*s to go through. I'd much rather be whacking wood, but, after all, it's the final job that counts. It can result in the use of contrasting species not being too contrasty and can bring out the patterns in the different woods to enhance the overall piece. I think Transtint dyes go a long way toward making this workable and repeatable. Good luck!
I can't recommend this personally, but ...
Among other chemicals (potassium dichromate, for one), one that is reputed to give a good antique look to mahogany is lye. And, an old-timer I know swears that the best way to beautifully 'age' a piece of mahogany is with Easy-Off oven cleaner. I assume it has lye ... and I wonder whether, after lye, it might be a good idea to give it a dilute vinegar wash, to neutralize the alkali in the lye.
The nice thing about a chemical rather than a dye or stain is that it actually changes the wood chemically, and is supposed to be more resistant to fading from sun, time, etc. Worth a try - what could a can of Easy-Off cost?
Show us your samples if you try any of these! I just posted my 'iron buff' sample here recently.
Clay
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