Double Dye: Clear + One Color Questions

[McKenzie Penworks]

Ok so I THINK I have this pretty well researched but was hoping someone would shed some light to give me a head start before I start playing around with blanks.

First, I know that I don't need to stabilize everything. However, to get the look I want, I'm pretty sure it's the only way. What I'm looking for is partially natural wood color and partial color. Like a marbled effect.

I've attached an example of one I've purchased.

My thinking is that I start with the clear first. Let the blank soak with no or little vacuum and get the soft parts. Here's where I'd love some guidance. How long do I start with? For reference material let's say a spalted fairly soft maple...

From there I think it's straight forward. Bake that in, sand excess off, and then put dyed color under full vacuum to get complete penetration.

I realize there are no shortcuts and each wood is going to vary a bit but was hoping someone has done similar and is willing to share to get me in the ballpark for that initial soak.

 

[McKenzie Penworks]

Oh I should add I'm thinking average sized pieces of wood here. Maybe 1.5"-2" thick. Yes I have read the post about soaking for an hour but was hoping for some feedback from other's experience. If I don't get any, I have a place to start at least.

 

[budnder]

I think I would approach it generally as you outlined, although from my experience, the wood itself is going to be more of a factor in the outcome than the process you apply to it. The key will be finding a piece of wood that has the right type and mix of softer vs. harder areas. I find these types of mixes sometimes in the rootballs where some rot/softening has set in.

I think I might throw in some color, maybe a yellow or an orange, rather than a clear in the first dye.

I usually do my first soak when the wood is just out of a day in a 175 degree or so oven, so it's bone dry. I let it cool maybe 5 minutes. The soak time really depends on the hardness of the areas you're trying to color. For something like a soft maple, I'd start experimenting in the range of 5 to 30 minutes for the first soak. I number the pieces I experiment with and use a little notebook to keep a log of what I did.

Post pictures of what you try

 

[McKenzie Penworks]

That's part of what I was thinking as well. To get that specific look or similar is really going to depend on how the soft/hard areas are mixed in. I've got a few blocks here of various spalt and figure to start experimenting on.

I toyed with the idea of a pale yellow... Some of what I'm working with is a bit darker to start than a perfectly clear maple anyways though so I guess it's going to be a trial and error thing where I hope the emphasis is on the trial and less so on the error.

Thanks for the tips!