Home Dyed and stabilized

[wolftat]

This is a piece of heavily spalted sugar maple that was dyed and stabilized by me. I am pretty happy with the stabilizing and am going to keep working with this stuff. The kit is a 2 toned chrome Sierra and the finish is 6 coats of thin CA and a quick buff followed by a coat of Ren wax.

 

[tim self]

Neil, that is one beautiful pen. Wanna share how to?

 

[wolftat]

Neil, that is one beautiful pen. Wanna share how to?

Sure, first I mix a bunch(mathmatical term) of plexi into some Acetone and let it melt, then I put the wood in and vaccuum it until my pump dies. I let it sit in there until I buy a new pump(about 6 weeks) and then kept it under vaccuum for another week or so, and when I pull it out, I turned it down and then soaked it in RIT laundry dye. after that, I sanded it again and slapped a CA finish on it.

 

[ed4copies]

So, it was COMPLETE in less than SIX months!!!

Sounds about right to me!

Nice job, Neil!

 

[rjwolfe3]

Neil,
How long did you leave it soak in the dye and did you use the dye full strength?

Nice looking pen by the way.

 

[CaptG]

Awesome job Neil. Just out of curiosity, what does the cost of the blanks come out to after using a pump per each cast? On second thought, don't tell me, I'll just admire the blank. Really a nice looking blank.

 

[workinforwood]

Very nice. It looks like it was worth the effort.

 

[kirkfranks]

On the rit dye did you use the powder mixed with water or the available liquid formulation?
I would think either (neither?) would have a hard time getting into the wood since you did the plexi first. Ever try it the other way around?

 

[spiritwoodturner]

Beautiful Neil! So you stabilize first, then dye. Do you not let the stabilizing material dry before you dye? I'm not sure how you got it to penetrate. And you use only vacuum?

Just curious, but it is lovely. Oh, one more thing. Only 1 color dye or a few? That's really pretty.

Do you guys that do so much of this so well not understand people would PAY for books on how you did it?!!!

Dale

 

[NewLondon88]

, then I put the wood in and vaccuum it until my pump dies. I let it sit in there until I buy a new pump(about 6 weeks)

I'm beginning to think the only safe way to vacuum anything with acetone
is to use a venturi pump.

Pen looks great, though :biggrin:

 

[greenmtnguy]

Good job Neil,
I think you are on to something. I like it.

 

[Steve Busey]

Neil, nice job - for a one handed turner! :tongue:

Glad to see you're on the mend enough to get back in the shop.

 

[papaturner]

Very nice.

 

[Dalecamino]

Neil , that is one really nice looking pen . I had no idea you could dye Sugar Maple . (I don't get out much) . I think the Spalt in that wood is the best I've seen . Looks like you did a good job of stabilizing the blank . Do you have any more of this stuff ? I'd really like to have some . Really nice work Neil !

 

[wolftat]

Neil , that is one really nice looking pen . I had no idea you could dye Sugar Maple . (I don't get out much) . I think the Spalt in that wood is the best I've seen . Looks like you did a good job of stabilizing the blank . Do you have any more of this stuff ? I'd really like to have some . Really nice work Neil !

Thanks Chuck, I'm sure I could scrounge up a blank or 20 for you.:biggrin:

 

[wolftat]

I did dye the wood after I stabilized it just to make sure that I got the color into the wood, I guess I was thinking a bit backwards, but it worked. The dye was the liquid concentrate and it works very quickly. Home stabilizing doesn't make the wood into one solid piece like the commercial stabilizing does, so there is still plenty of area to catch the dye and hold it. I have also successfully dyed some of this wood by pouring a little dye on a piece of paper towel and rubbing it on while it is spinning on the lathe.

 

[Dalecamino]

Great ! I'll send a PM with my info ! :biggrin:

 

[Marleb]

Lovely work,

Thanks for sharing the method with us.

Have you tried running a vacuum for a couple of hours and then putting it under pressure for more time? Sort of like a casting, I guess.

Also, how liquid is the acetone-plexi mix you use?
(Like water, 10-30 SAE oil, corn syrup, honey? )

And I agree that a venturi vacuum is probably better with the acetone fumes probably being somewhat corrosive: they do melt stuff.

 

[wolftat]

Lovely work,

Thanks for sharing the method with us.

Have you tried running a vacuum for a couple of hours and then putting it under pressure for more time? Sort of like a casting, I guess.

Also, how liquid is the acetone-plexi mix you use?
(Like water, 10-30 SAE oil, corn syrup, honey? )

And I agree that a venturi vacuum is probably better with the acetone fumes probably being somewhat corrosive: they do melt stuff.

The mixture that I am using is pretty watery, I figured it would penetrate better that way. I will give the pressure afterwards a try and see what happens.
As long as I am using a brand new pump and there is no warning on it not to use it for this, I guess they will keep giving me new ones every 2 months....LOL Seriously, if it is damaging the the pump, I will know soon and switch over to the venturi pump. I probably shouldn't have given mine away, but I can get another one.

 

[Dario]

And I agree that a venturi vacuum is probably better with the acetone fumes probably being somewhat corrosive: they do melt stuff.

I use an old A/C-Refrigeration vacuum pump and acetone didn't affect it.

I won't vacuum acetone again with it though...it is too strong and makes it boil continuously, turning acetone to gas super fast.

Very nice pen!

 

[Fred]

Outgassing, degassing, passing gas, what-ever ... anytime the ambient pressure surrounding a chemical (acetone, MEK, alcohol.etc.) is reduced by a vacuum, then that particular chemical will 'boil' off faster than you can spit. The fumes are as destructive to other materials as is the liquid - as long as the fumes can stay in contact. Most of these fumes dissipate rather quickly IF one is using adequate ventilation ... strong hint there folks.

I have a large Gast vacuum pump seized from a meth lab drug raid about ten years ago. The danged thing just keeps on keeping on. I never want to open the thing though as I am sure somewhere inside it is a mixture of all the chemicals used in the drug making process as well as all the stuff I have put through it. Bet there is some kind of weirdness in there for somebody ... not me!

If you really worry about the damages to your 'system' there is a remedy.

Simply put a second bottle/jar/container/etc. in between the HF pot - assuming that you are using a Harbor Freight (HF) pressure/vacuum pot - and the vacuum pump. In other words - vacuum pump - line with cut off valve - safety pot - line with cut off valve - HF pressure/vacuum pot. There is also a big advantage if you can possibly use a saftey bottle that is larger in capacity than the HF pot.

First in line is the vacuum pump.
Then a cut off valve in the line on going to the safety pot.
Then the bigger safety pot.
Then another cut off valve from the other side of the safety pot.
Then the HF pot.

To use this contraption ...

First Be sure the first valve is open - turn OFF the one valve between the HF pot and the safety pot.
Pull a vacuum in the safety pot.
Cut off the first valve between the main pump and the safety pot and turn off the main pump.
Then open the valve between the safety pot and the HF pot.

Now the vacuum from the safety pot pulls the vacuum on the HF pot. NO problems of fumes/liquids entering the pump and ruining it.

To clean the safety pot, just disconnect the line from both sides and blow it out with compressed air. BE SURE AND DO NOT INHALE if you do this by mouth, duh!

Confused, draw a diagram as you read the directions. Still confused, call CAV and ask him questions ... he is not too busy right now!

 

[wolftat]

Thank you Fred, that is a great idea. I have a couple of extra pots usually and will have to give it a try.

 

[NewLondon88]

Now the vacuum from the safety pot pulls the vacuum on the HF pot. NO problems of fumes/liquids entering the pump and ruining it.

If the two pots are approx the same size, wouldn't that give you half
the vacuum in the HF pot?

 

[Stick Rounder]

It is a good looking pen. I am going to try some dying now. Have you stabilized wood with minwax products then tried dying? I have had some good luck with stabilizing but not with dying. I am going to try with the RIT laundry dye.
Thanks.