How about dyes for maple?

[Firefyter-emt]

I have quite a few maple blanks, pretty boring on it's own but I milled it up mainly to "play" with. I figure it is a great background for segmented pens. I tried paduck, found out that don't work (duh.. I should of put that one togather! Buy my wife likes her pink wave pen) It works well with Walnut for a checker board pattern. I would like to try to dye the wood green, blue maybe red ect. What is the best way? Akaline dye after it is sanded and before the finish?? Thought the may make some neat pens in blue or green.. Red is so so, too many woods to make that color happen, maybe orange??

 

[jcollazo]

I <b>just</b> finished this pen for a friend. It's lightly curled maple sand and MM'd through 8000. Then, with the lathe on I used a Prismacolor PM-50 Violet art marker over the clank. Quickly wipe the blank with some DNA and finish MM at 12000. A PM-98 Black was used on the tips. About 25 coats of plexi, a black chrome kit and here it is.

This pens are quick, easy and come in lots of colors. I have a boat load of hard maple that I plan on making flag pens - US, Canada and Mexico.

Hope this helps Oh.... I got the pens at Michaels and you can also find them on ebay. Prismacolor double-ended Art Markers.

Joe

 

[Pipes]

There is a guy selling the sets on the Bay I bought from him and it took 3 weeks and a LOT of Reporting to E Bay and Pay Pal to get mine sent to me so Beware of him !!his bay Name is thehobbieshopguy[!]

As for how they work after I got them some colors are good on maple some just look washed out ! But the ones I tried that work for ME are the darker colors IMO now only...only ! with CA over the color they are ok []

The pen above is very nice [^] I like the darker color a bit better but that is nice just IMHO now only []

 

[Tom McMillan]

Apparently, there was a good article on using what was called silk dyes in Woodturning Design Magazine not too long ago. Unfortunately, I didn't get that issue. I did a search here, and found it was apparently Dye-na-Flow & mine say for use on all fabrics and paper. I heard a person could purchase an 8 color set for about $8. It was said they were available at JoAnn's Fabrics and Michael's. I went to both and before I knew the name was told they didn't have silk dyes. After finding out the name I found them in the art section of JoAnn's Fabrics. Anyway, I haven't tried mine yet, and my set has 9 different colors and was $12.99---so, appears the price went up. I'd be interested in others experiences with these which will hopefully be helpful for this thread. Since I don't have the article I'm wondering about how to apply. In the directions it says requires heat fixing by ironing or placed in a clothes dryer. I suppose a person could use a hair dryer or heat gun, if this is necessary when applying on woods. Anyone have experience, or know more about what the article recommends for application?? Also, wondering if these dyes raise the wood fibres??

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

The bottle stopper on the left was dyed with green TransTint Dyes http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/TransTint.htm

for a larger picture http://simplyturning.com/gallery/other/Bottle_Stoppers

It is water based, so I wet sanded with water first,
let dry
applied the dye
dry sanded
second coated of dye
very ligthly sand
apply finish

 

[KenV]

My wife dyes fibers and there is a caution with some dyes to check on UV sensitivity. Some dyes and colors fade in sunlight quickly. Many of the dyes she use need to be set with heat. She steams the wool or wraps it wet in plastic wrap and steams it in the microwave. Memory is that alcohol based dyes tend to be more stable than water base.

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

Alcohol based dyes and prismacolor pens are not light fast, which means they will fade quickly in sunlight.

Water based dyes will last longer

 

[KenV]

Thanks Ron -- The Dye person is at a spinning fest "Down South" in Seattle this weekend so I was relying on (poor) memory.

 

[alamocdc]

I don't know how they'll turn out yet, but I experimented with Dylon fabric dye last week. Mixed a packet with a half gallon of water and added about a quart of DNA to speed the drying process (I hope). Held the blanks (Maple, Ash, Sycamore and another wood I can't remember) under vacuum for three days. Looks like it took pretty well, but I won't know until I turn them. I drilled a 1/4 inch hole through the blanks before dying to help aid the penetration. Stay tuned for the results, but I want to make sure the blanks are quite dry first.

I will add this note. The blanks were perfectly square 3/4" by 3/4" when they went in to the solution, but some of them are more trapezoidal in shape now that they've been drying for two days.