Dyes to mix with Tru-Oil

Nomad

I'm interested in tinting Tru-Oil directly with some sort of dye rather than staining the wood and applying the oil on top. I'm looking for a vintage amber tint for applying to a maple neck/board, and might want to try something else for a basswood body (dark translucent red, for example).

Any suggestions for a concentrated spirit-based dye, or a dry powder? A UK or EU source would be good.

 

suspiciousminds

I added some yellow ochre oil paint to tru oil when i did the neck on a telecaster kit i built last year.

Rox

I've used Chestnut spirit stains in the past - very easy to use I've found... 

WezV

I have used chestnut spirit stains and wood dye from wilko's for tinting tru oil.

I have never got a good solid colour, but slight tints work fine.

the wings on this were paler than the centre section so i tinted the tru-oil with mahogany wood dye from wilkos

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/complete guitars/fb13.jpg

this was a vintage tint i mixed up with the tru-oil.  again i used wilkos stuff for this - a mix of an antique oak with other stuff i had around and a few differenet stages of dark/light applications

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/cabrel1-1_zpsb9735107.jpg

this was a different look, i was aiming for it to look like raw maple that has gone dirty

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/bb9.jpg

If you do go down the wilko's route, and there is no reason not to for wood tones, go for the traditional wood dye rather than the quick dry versions.  For brighter primary colours you will need the chesnut spirit stain and you will be best to apply directly to the wood than tru-oil over the top.  I have never had much look with it, at least i usually prefer trans lacquer for this instead

Rox

Managed to get a gorgeous plum colour from Chestnut Purple spirit stain onto a mahogany body.  When I put together my own SG project, I'll be doing that again - it was a really lovely colour.

WezV

yeah but... did you get a gorgeous plum colour by building up layers of tru-oil, loosing the feel of a really nice oil finish in the process.

this is my issue with a lot of stuff i see written about tru-oil.   IMHO oil finishes are best kept thin as possible, as soon as you get into built up oil finishes, which tru-oil manages better than most, you are competing with lacquer .... which does it much much better than any oil finish can

my technique for getting oil finishes to feel great keeps it really thin, but does destroy any hope of keeping a consistently stained colour.   but it feels so good I am not willing to do it any other way.

but to try and be helpful, i think the OP will have more luck with a direct stain followed by tinted oil, rather than tinted oil alone

Nomad

Thanks all - methinks I will try the tinted oil method (when the replacement bottle arrives, RM having lost the first one).

Wez, my plan is to apply lots of thin tinted layers at the start to build up the colour, sanding between, and then maybe some further untinted ones with a view to buffing to get a reasonable gloss. More akin to a traditional varnish, perhaps?

GuitarMonkey

Nomad said:

Thanks all - methinks I will try the tinted oil method (when the replacement bottle arrives, RM having lost the first one).

Lost or destroyed? It is probably on their banned list

http://www.royalmail.com/personal/help-and-support/Tell-me-about-Prohibited-Goods

Nomad

All I know it is that it didn't reach my local sorting office after a week. I don't know if the seller declared what it was at the post office, but I'd imagine they'd refuse it if he had and it counts as something on their banned list. I'd have thought wood treatment oil is surely benign, though - it's not reduced with solvents or volatiles so far as I know.

Incidentally, as I understand it, there is no requirement to declare what is in a package - only that it doesn't contain anything on their list. However, many PO counter staff don't seem to understand this.

WezV

Nomad said:

Thanks all - methinks I will try the tinted oil method (when the replacement bottle arrives, RM having lost the first one).

Wez, my plan is to apply lots of thin tinted layers at the start to build up the colour, sanding between, and then maybe some further untinted ones with a view to buffing to get a reasonable gloss. More akin to a traditional varnish, perhaps?

yeah, thats going to take a long time.   You can use tru-oil like a "traditional varnish" by building up multiple thin layers and you can even get it high gloss with a lot of work,  but you loose all the great benefits of an oil finish for something that doesn't quite match  the quality you can get with lacquer.  

When you mix the oil with stain you are essentially thinning it out which will slow everything down too and mean it will take longer to build up.

I would seriously consider a direct stain followed by tinted oil if you do plan on doing this and i would keep sandpaper well away from it until you have built up sufficient clear over the colour.  that is going to give you a much better chance of getting a nice colour.  the moment you touch it with sandpaper you run the risk of going through a patch and either have to start again or learn to like the worn through look

My advise -  if you want gloss AND colour then go for lacquer.  

Rox

WezV said:

yeah but... did you get a gorgeous plum colour by building up layers of tru-oil, loosing the feel of a really nice oil finish in the process.

Short answer; No. 

The spirit stain on that occasion was direct to the mahogany, rather than in the oil.    The plum colour was purely the mahogany and the purple interacting.

I have used a hard wax oil too in the past, but nothing more than one coat with that.  I prefer those finishes to breathe.

WezV

I have a burgundy  guitar that is the chestnut purple over redwood top and mahogany back, although that was lacquered