# dyeing box elder



## samm47 (Dec 3, 2004)

I have a large amount of natural box elder and would like to know how to dye the wood.  I would like to do it myself instead of sending it away. Has anyone dyed wood before that can help me?


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## Fred in NC (Dec 3, 2004)

Anyline dye or spirit dye for a real permanent finish.  I think vacuum will be needed for the dye to penetrate.  Otherwise it will be superficial and will be turned away.  Alternatively, you can turn to a "sanding diameter" (just a hair over finished size, and color by hand.  The dye will penetrate a bit into the wood.  Fabric dye can also be used, but I understand it fades a lot more, especially red.

I hope this helps.


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## Scottydont (Dec 3, 2004)

Dye before you stabilize! I tried it at the same time and it doesn't work very well. I am looking forward to seeing further comments on this post.


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## penhead (Dec 3, 2004)

I have been doing a little reading research on same subject lately...have been volunteered for daughters HS craft show coming in a few months...found a .pdf article on our IAP homepage by Pat Lawson that seemed interesting:

http://www.penturners.org/content/SpiritStains.pdf


JohnPayton


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## wayneis (Dec 4, 2004)

I bought and have been working a little with spirit stains and am not to impressed.  The spirit stains are fairly transparent.  If you want coloring that is really vivid then I've heard that Analine dye is a better choise.  Someone also just told me that leather dye works very well and I saw tow pens that he said were colored with it and they were both really nice and bright vivid colors.  They really looked like they had been dyed and stabilized.

Wayne


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## Daniel (Dec 4, 2004)

There are a couple of subjects that Pat Lawson has spent research type time on developing. and dying wood is one of them. I can't think of a better person to follow the advice of. the perfect fifish is anoutherr but her ideas on this have been so robbed that they are pretty much common advice now. but the origianl thanks go to her and a few others for that mirror finish we all get to today. Snoop around in her information. visit her web sight to get an idea fo twhat can be done with that info. and while you are there drop her a thank you for here years of effort. It is so nice to here that others are getting something from it all.


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## Scott (Dec 5, 2004)

I bought the Spirit Stains too, and while I like them and will continue to use them on some bigger pieces, I wanted much more intense colors for my pens.  A couple of months ago I started experimenting with colored Sharpies, and have been real happy with the results!  Vivid colors, and so far I haven't noticed any fading, which was one of my biggest questions.

Scott.


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