Dyeing/staining a spruce top?
Kent Echoes
http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/TransTint.htm
I'm using TransTint Orange in an attempt to get a sort of Gretsch orange shade
on a Carvin AE185 with Engleman spruce top sanded down bare. My initial tries
have the color but it's not even throughout. Some areas drink up more solution
than others. I've tried applying with 3M abrasive pads (as recommended), rags,
and finally using a Preval spray gun (great little gadget, BTW). I'm about ready
to sand it off once more and just mix the dye with some nitro or poly (TransTint
will mix with anything) and shoot it with the Preval but I have no assurance
that will work any better.
I'm a total beginner at finishing as if it wasn't obvious. I have been told that
spruce is a devilish wood to stain or dye which is why it's rarely done. Sure,
NOW they tell me.
I really could use some advice or links. I haven't found much by googling.
David L. Martel
I seem to recall that some woods require a pre-treatment before staining
to prevent uneven staining. Many pines and soft woods are among these woods.
The Trans/Tint folks do not mention this but do mention pore penetration
problems and offer solutions.
They also suggest testing on a piece of scrap. I'd really urge this. Buy
a piece of the same spruce and get a good technique going before you do the
guitar.
Dave M.
David L. Martel
Oops, I posted too soon. Their web-site does discuss your problem and
offer a number of possible solutions. Look at the Technical Data page. I
think you'll need to experiment on some scrap wood
Dave M.
McCollum
the dyed finish on and then continue with clear!
Lance
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Misifus
Some of the handicraft shows teach that many woods need to be varnished
and then "filled", that is the grain filled, before staining to obtain
uniformity.
-Raf
--
Misifus-
Rafael Seibert
mailto:rafse...@att.net
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rafiii
home: http://www.rafandsioux.com
Kent Echoes
wrote:
Engleman spruce isn't something found laying around in Arizona lumber scrap
piles. I've practiced on a pine board but the results are totally different....I
get good results on the board, not on the guitar. As someone mentioned in a
different NG, spruce that's already been finished once is going to very tough to
finish again, at least at the bare-wood level.
But now that I've got a blotchy-orange top I can either sand it all off again &
have a paper-thin top, or paint it a solid color which I wanted to avoid for
several reasons....
David L. Martel
> Engleman spruce isn't something found laying around in Arizona lumber
> scrap
> piles. I've practiced on a pine board but the results are totally
> different....I
> get good results on the board, not on the guitar. As someone mentioned in
> a
> different NG, spruce that's already been finished once is going to very
> tough to
> finish again, at least at the bare-wood level.
>
> But now that I've got a blotchy-orange top I can either sand it all off
> again &
> have a paper-thin top, or paint it a solid color which I wanted to avoid
> for
> several reasons....
Mr McCollum's idea of mixing the stain into one coat of the finish might
be worth trying. Have you tried speaking with the Trans/Tint folks? I'd do
that first.
Sorry, I can't think of anything else. I would not sand the guitar too
much more.
Rather than a solid color maybe find an artist to paint it up nice.
Dave M.
David Hajicek
Have you tried removing as much tint as possible with alcohol? You may be
able to get it to the point where the "blotchyness" will become merely an
interesting highlight behind the final tinted finish.
Putting the tint on the wood as you did emphasizes ANY variations in the
wood or grain orientation. Sometimes this is desirable. Sometimes (as in
this case) it is not.
If you can tone down the tint, then finish it in untinted to get a uniform
surface, then spray the tint on (as Lance suggested) to build up the
intensity.
Good luck.
Dave Hajicek
Kent Echoes
wrote:
>Have you tried removing as much tint as possible with alcohol? You may be
>able to get it to the point where the "blotchyness" will become merely an
>interesting highlight behind the final tinted finish.
It looks like all that's going to come off has already.
I'm afraid its way beyond "interesting" at this point, except maybe as a case
study...
>
>Putting the tint on the wood as you did emphasizes ANY variations in the
>wood or grain orientation. Sometimes this is desirable. Sometimes (as in
>this case) it is not.
The grain on Engleman is so straight & even it's like ruled paper. That's what
makes any unevenness stand out even more.
>
>If you can tone down the tint, then finish it in untinted to get a uniform
>surface, then spray the tint on (as Lance suggested) to build up the
>intensity.
I'm going to show it to a local expert when he's around and see what he says. I
think the whole problem boils down to the top being refinished previously,
probably with something that penetrated the wood and rendered it un-refinishable
except with a solid color....or wallpaper...