looking for blue and green wood dyes

[don s]

btw. zradix, that is one cool looking riser and a great stain job. don

[vth0kie12]

Originally posted by Zradix:
You CAN stain after the glue up.
you CAN follow a nice sharp glue line with the stain.

It just takes time, a small brush ( bout the smallest artist brush you can find), and lots of patience.

I've done it.

The problem you might run into is if some of the glue has penetrated into the wood you want to stain.
The stain doesn't like to stain the glue.

You just let the stain bleed to the line.

Started like this...
     

turned out like this...

     

With all that said, I think it would be WAAAYY easier, and most likely look better to use blue spectraply..or whatever "ply" wood.

how hard was it to keep the dye from bleeding over onto the other parts of the riser.

thats one wild looking riser... i like it

[Roy Steele]

Your right MAD DOG I've tryed rubbing alcohol with RIT dye on arrows. I used denatured alot on bows and arrows. Water works fine also but like someone said it dose raise the grain.

[Roy Steele]

You can use a small pointy brush at the seam lines. But your glue lines won't dye. I should be dyed before glue up. But with the brush you can make it look all right and it won't bleed just take your time.

[Zradix]

vth0kie12 ...

I used a small artist brush. It was a lot like the brushes kids get in water paint kits...just smaller.

A stain always bleeds. I just kept the brush away from the line I wanted to stain to.

You just have to let the stain bleed to the line and no farther. You can do it. Just have to be careful and go slow. You'll get the feel for it very quickly.

The glue line will help stop the stain from going farther. But..it shouldn't be counted on.

How hard was it?..
It took about 1.5-2 hrs to stain the entire bow. I did the side of the limbs too. Those took a while cause I didn't want the stain to run down the glass.
Just have to take your time and be careful.
1 drop of stain too close to the line and you're
bolted. So..you don't do that...lol.

BTW..If using an alcohol based stain make sure you use a natural hair brush. Depending on the make up of a plastic brush it might dissolve in some types of alcohol.

[monterey]

Originally posted by joekeith:
Leather dye works good.  I've gotten and used green from Tandy.  Just pour a little on a rag and wipe it on.....oh yeah, I'd advise wearing rubber gloves, unless you really do want a green thumb.    

Don't like to be the contrarian here, but here are some pics of limb edge and riser of a bow I dyed with green leather dye about 14 years ago.  This fading set in about five years after the build.  This bow has spent the most of it's life in a dark storage room!  Wood is maple cores and actionwood riser.

 

 

[Zradix]

monterey ....

Did you dye the action wood too?
Also, what did you use to seal the bow?

That's interesting

Thanks

[monterey]

Yes, the riser block was action wood natural.  You can see it in the pic that shows part of the grip.  No sealer that I can recall, and myabe that would have made a difference.

[Grey Taylor]

Isn't actionwood already resin impregnated? If it is then the dye would have a very difficult time penetrating into the material and would just sit on the surface. That and no finish would combine to give shot life to the dye.

Guy

[monterey]

The riser and the limb edges absorbed the dye readily, so I'm not sure about your question.

[joekeith]

The leather dye works great on Osage.....