I've noticed on a occasion here that some of you make pens out of dyed maple or box elder. Besides e-bay...where is it that you get your dyed wood from? That stuff is real brilliant in color for being wood. Groovy stuff.:usflag:
I've dyed my own wood with food coloring, left if to dry for a day, then put a CA finish over it. I've heard some say that the color will fade, but I've had a few for about a year with no apparent fading yet. I don't dilute the food coloring at all, just dripped it onto a paper towel and rubbed it all over the blank after final sanding.
I'll make about 20 or so slimlines with curly maple and turn them when my guild demos at craft shows. Once sanded, I'll wipe food coloring on them and then CA finish. They look great and at what they cost, I give them away to kids most times.