# Dye practice-getting better



## Chris S. (Aug 7, 2016)

so been messing around dying wood. Here is latest experimental piece. Sycamore dyed purple. Just soaked in juice didn't pull vacuum yet. Next going to do another color under vacuum on same piece and see what happens. Bought a bunch of this to make some knife scales and pistol grips. One thing I learned, when you think you have enough dye, double it.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 2


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## Nature Man (Aug 8, 2016)

Intense! How deep into the wood does the dye go? Is dying something that could be done for bowl blanks? Chuck


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## Chris S. (Aug 8, 2016)

Not sure how far goes. Think bowl blank may be to much. Plus needs to be dried because dyeing and stabilizing. Need to get blank down to as close to zero moisture as possible before stabilizing and dyeing. Would have to rough turn, then dry, stabilize and dye, then finish turn. Think better option is to mix dye with water or DNA and dye that way. These pieces of wood very thin, less than half inch. I have used powered dyes and liquid dyes mixed with water and DNA with great results for dyeing surface of woods for boxes and other projects. Sure you could get the purple, mix with DNA and then dye bowl before applying finish and get great results.

Tonight baked a piece have practicing double dyeing on. Good start, not entirely happy with results but at least closer to what I am looking to get to.

Reactions: Like 5


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## Brain M (Aug 12, 2016)

This is my issue. Mine look great deep color when they come out of the oven, but once I cut then or sand them there are only a real dull color.


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## Chris S. (Aug 13, 2016)

I don t worry about what they look like any more before a finish. Just like a nice piece of wood, looks okay after machining and sanding then you apply a nice finish and suddenly it becomes a stunning piece of wood. No matter what the items are you are going to have a dull appearance to it before finish. If you want to get a preview of the final product spray some denatured alcohol on them. If making them to sell a couple quick shots of high gloss laquer on them works great. I gave this one to @GeorgeS to fill in voids with resin as he practices with casting so haven't cut yet. 

If you have full color penetration in your blanks when you cut them then I would just coat with laquer to bring out the beauty of the wood. I thought I was doing something wrong too till George showed me a blank he purchased that looked all nice and bright because someone had put a few coats of clear on it. 

If not getting full color penetration into the blank then that's another issue but doesn't sound like you are having that as the problem.


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