Water soluble aniline dyes - Woodworking Talk

dgspal · 12-22-2007, 07:20 AM

Hi all. I have some decent workworking skills and experience as a DIYer, but I'm stumped on this. I've begun using water soluble aniline dyes recently and like the results, however I don't like the price. I've been using a well known brand costing about $9-$10 per oz. (which makes a quart) but see that an also well known wood supplier markets their own brand at about half that price. Does anyone have experience they can share about the quality of lower priced dyes compared to the well known brands?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Dennis

**Daren** · 12-22-2007, 07:45 AM

I don't have advice other than spend the $5 and see. Since you have already used the "name brand" and have a benchmark, you will know if the "store brand" works as well.

If not, you are out $5. If they suit you then you know you can save a couple bucks in the future.

**TexasTimbers** · 12-22-2007, 12:12 PM

Dennis, if you try it out please come back post a review of it here.

cabinetman · 01-01-2008, 12:02 PM

I've had some luck with RIT dyes. They are usually sold in grocery stores and are directed towards fabrics, but will also work with wood. They can be mixed to varying concentration levels, and are very inexpensive and easy to use. Here's a link for their colors.

I would guess that RIT would be less expensive than Trans Tint, or an equivalent.

dgspal · 01-03-2008, 09:32 AM

Thanks for the responses. I've looked at the RIT color chart and am inclinded not to use it simply because of the mixing/mess. I think I'll just order the $5 brand and check the results. I'll definitely post the results along with the brand names I'm using.

Dennis

cabinetman · 01-03-2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgspal

Thanks for the responses. I've looked at the RIT color chart and am inclinded not to use it simply because of the mixing/mess. I think I'll just order the $5 brand and check the results. I'll definitely post the results along with the brand names I'm using.

Dennis

Well, we sure don't want to get our hands dirty, now do we. Order these.

affyx · 01-03-2008, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cabinetman

I've had some luck with RIT dyes. They are usually sold in grocery stores and are directed towards fabrics, but will also work with wood. They can be mixed to varying concentration levels, and are very inexpensive and easy to use. Here's a link for their colors.

Here's a link to a small wooden craft project at RIT... describes dying wood. Might be helpful...

http://www.ritdye.com/Picture+Perfect+Memories.57.lasso

mpm1696 · 01-22-2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cabinetman

I've had some luck with RIT dyes. They are usually sold in grocery stores and are directed towards fabrics, but will also work with wood. They can be mixed to varying concentration levels, and are very inexpensive and easy to use. Here's a link for their colors.

I would guess that RIT would be less expensive than Trans Tint, or an equivalent.

Has anybody ever tried Rit Dyes with mineral spirits or alcohol instead of water to POP the figured grain on tiger maple? if yes PLEASE tell me how it went, any recommendations, I know that Rit Dyes is soluble in HOT water. I could simply use Trans-Tint, but that's 16.00$ instead of 2.00 for Rit Dye!

But I'd like to dissolve brown colored Rit Dye in alcohol to later add a few drops to De-waxed shellac or Lacquer to POP the grain for a 3-D effect or chattoyance (pigment stains won't work, maple being so dense), sand it a bit, then lightly oil-stain the whole thing to give a warm tone, without hiding the tiger figure, then top coat with a oil based poly.

If Rit Dyes is only soluble in Hot water, then will it give the same 3-D effect? Will I need to add a pre-stain wood conditioner before adding the stain to prevent blotching. Or could I just add a few drops of water-dye mix in water based pre-stain wood conditioner? - I prefer oil based finish over water based.

Is Rit dye an Aniline Dye?

TELL me guys; are these good questions?

If this works, then there's a big price difference, between the two!

Any input, I'm stupped!

Pete.
please reply at peter.michaud@edmundston.ca

**Daren** · 01-22-2008, 04:22 PM

Here is a picture from my gallery. I was doing some experimenting with water based dies (simple kitchen food coloring) on tiger maple. I was making custom guitar pick guards at the time out of some thin stick. It worked good.

I am going to buy some black RIT ,maybe yet today and do some testing on tiger maple I have a custom Tsaku and Saya to make for a Katana (handle and scabbard for a Japanese sword).

I have done 2 tones like red/yellow. I am trying to make black yellow.??? Water based dyes do work on figured maple. Depends on what you are trying to do though I guess.

**Daren** · 01-23-2008, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpm1696

Has anybody ever tried Rit Dyes with mineral spirits or alcohol instead of water to POP the figured grain on tiger maple?

This is RIT and water. Seemed to show the figure ok. I needed a 2 tone coloring for what I am trying to do. I had a couple scraps to test it on. For me water is more forgiving on hard to stain woods like maple, that is why I have stuck with it over alcohol.

I mixed up the black, wiped it on and let it set for a couple minutes. Then with a very wet rag wiped it off. That is the first picture, after the thinned black had dried.

Then I mixed concentrated yellow, put it on and let it soak, did not wipe it off.

A member here Charles Neil has a good video (well several

) on finishing and making figure pop. http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=InTheWorkshop .

This was just an experiment to see which wood I am going to use for a project. I like the more quilted looking maple better that the tiger (it has alot more going on than the picture shows)

mpm1696 · 01-30-2008, 01:01 PM

Pretty good results there Daren.

Last night I tried diluting Rit dye in lacquer thinner, and then mixed with lacquer (I want to Pop the grain on my tiger maple board)... Let's just say, I've seen better before. I tried dark brown dye, it did dilute somewhat but not all. The thinner went dark brown, but some stuff in the dye just stuck to the bottom. I stirred and shaked to no avail, I then thought; what if I heated the mix - but then realized - this is thinner! I added some lacquer in the mix, stirred it, and applied it on figured maple. Your results with water is way better, so tonight I will try that.

But, Darren, with what top coat would you use after water dying these figured blanks: Poly (oil based), shellac, oil, wax or Lacquer?

And did you apply a water based pre-stain wood conditioner before dying to get these results?

The reason I didn't use water in the 1st place is blotching and grain raising. After viewing Marc Spagnuolo's (TheWoodWhisperer.com) vid on You tube, I'm going to try that route and buy some Transtint, mix it with lacquer or de-waxed shellac. Copy and paste this link to watch his technique. Pop goes the Maple - episode 32:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx8mp3Ag36s

Anyone has other result with Rit dye, let me know.

OH, I did contact - E-mailed Ritdie, last week, for info. But they never replied.

Pete.

**Daren** · 01-30-2008, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpm1696

But, Darren, with what top coat would you use after water dying these figured blanks: Poly (oil based), shellac, oil, wax or Lacquer?

Whatever floats your boat. Once it is dry again, it's dry. I can't see any difference in the finishing approach, I have used all of the above mentioned. I could be corrected, but it would take a pretty strong case to convince me.

mpm1696 · 01-30-2008, 01:43 PM

Did you apply a water based pre-stain wood conditioner before dying to get these results?

**Daren** · 01-30-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpm1696

Did you apply a water based pre-stain wood conditioner before dying to get these results?

No I did not.