[MrDantastic]

I am trying to dye some thin pieces of wood all the way through, but can't seem to get the dye to penetrate far enough. I have cut the wood (maple) very thin, less than 1/16 of an inch, but it still has a stripe of maple color through the middle when I cut it. I left it soaking overnight hoping that it would penetrate farther, but that doesn't seem to have helped.

In case anyone is curious, I want to glue some of these pieces together and turn them, so I figured that if I dyed it all the way through before gluing I wouldn't lose any of the color.

Any help would be appreciated!

[AlArchie]

I don't think I have an answer for you, but was wondering what you were using for dye.

Al

[MrDantastic]

I bought a bottle of red transtint dye that I mixed with water and used.

[Claude]

You might try mixing it with denatured alcohol and trying again...I've heard that the alcohol helps it soak in better - haven't tried it personally, though.

Claude

[susieq]

Claude is right,
water based anything isn't going to do what you want. Make sure the dye is not a water base also. Some leather dyes are a denatured alcohol base and can be thinned with plain denatured alcohol. They do make a red dye.

[BobD]

Transtint can be mixed with alcohol or water. I sometimes use rubbing alcohol.

Bob

[Keoma]

food coloring

[DiamondWillow]

I don't know about your situation, however, just took a class on Fan Bird carving this past weekend. Instructors David and Sally Nye like to have their fan bird blanks wet all the way through. They put the blanks in water and boil them. Then they simmer for 1 to 2 hours. They say by boiling them the water gets all the way through the wood. Now I don't know if that would help your deal to boil it or not. Might try it on a practice piece and see if it would help.

Good Luck

Gene

[Keoma]

Thats what I do. I soak my hair pins in hot water...I guess its at a simmer for about an hour. Then I towel them dry. dunk them in a container of food coloring and they soak it right up like a sponge. Hey, it's cheap and easy and fun too...

[AlArchie]

Here's a link to the company site. On the bottom of page 6 there is a contact notice where you can ask about specific problems...might try asking them directly.

http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/pd...S%204-2008.pdf

Al