Veneering Forum : Veneering Forum : Dying veneers

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Darryl Keil

Last Activity 2025-09-09 11:09 AM
10 replies, 7140 viewings

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Bob L.

Subject : Dying veneers
Posted : 2004-02-07 4:17 PM
Post #31271

I'd like to do a banding similar to what Darryl shows in his video where he sandwiches a sheet of black dyed pear between two sheets of maple then rips this into the appropriate widths to glue to his solid wood banding. My question is how to dye the veneer. I've used water based aniline dyes on solid wood and they don't seem to penetrate too deep - I can easily scrape/sand past the color. If I soak a piece of veneer in dye will the color penetrate all the way through so that I won't see the original color when I rip it into strips?

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Darryl Keil

Posts: 1455

Joined: 2003-05-22
Location: Maine

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Subject : RE: Dying veneers
Posted : 2004-02-09 6:26 PM
Post #31276 - In reply to #31271

Bob,

Commercial dyed veneers are pressure dyed to get the color through and through. If you soak it and heat it up some that may do it. Im checking with a customer who I know will have the complete answer. When I hear back from him I'll add another post.

Sincerely
Darryl Keil

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Brian Gray

Posts: 339

Joined: 2004-01-21
Location: Sandusky, OH

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Subject : RE: Dying veneers
Posted : 2004-02-10 7:48 AM
Post #31279 - In reply to #31276

At Paul Schurch's course, he recommended putting your dyes and veneers into a pan, and heating them in the oven for a while.

I can't remember for exactly how long (have to check my notes), but you know when you are done, when you take a chisel, slice through a small portion, and see that the dye has penetrated all of the wood.

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Bob L.

Subject : RE: Dying veneers
Posted : 2004-02-10 9:18 AM
Post #31280 - In reply to #31279

Thanks. If you can find it in your notes I'd like to know the time & temperature. I tried soaking some maple in water based dye (at room temp) for about an hour and it did not penetrate through the veneer.

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Brian Gray

Posts: 339

Joined: 2004-01-21
Location: Sandusky, OH

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Subject : RE: Dying veneers
Posted : 2004-02-10 1:08 PM
Post #31281 - In reply to #31280

I'll be glad to check, but it might be a while....I'm not heading to the shop today. Tomorrow I'm flying of town til friday...

If memory serves, I would guess 150-175 degrees, and I would just leave it for a couple of hours....I don't think that it can hurt to leave it in for long periods...(not really sure, though)

Then probably put it in between some cauls with paper to soak the excess water.

I will, however, check my notes....just give me some time....Green bolivar is pretty expensive, and I need to make my own before my next project.

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Darryl Keil

Posts: 1455

Joined: 2003-05-22
Location: Maine

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Subject : RE: Dying veneers
Posted : 2004-02-11 8:03 PM
Post #31284 - In reply to #31271

Bob,

So I checked with my customer and he told me his best success was using a household type pressure cooker with off the shelf Rit dyes. Even then he said it didnt always work. Also, you cant do really large pieces in a pressure cooker.

Good luck
Darryl Keil

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Bob L.

Subject : RE: Dying veneers
Posted : 2004-02-12 5:42 AM
Post #31285 - In reply to #31284

Thanks Darryl. RIT dye in my wife's pressure cooker doesn't sound particularly healthy, even with the ruby pendant she'll be getting for Valentines day. I'll let the pros do the dying and buy my veneers already colored.

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Brian Gray

Posts: 339

Joined: 2004-01-21
Location: Sandusky, OH

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Subject : RE: Dying veneers
Posted : 2004-02-18 10:25 AM
Post #31294 - In reply to #31285

I posted this question over at Jeff Jewitt's site....here's his response...

//Dyeing veneer throughout is very tricky. We've done it using specific textile dyes (probably similar to RIT) with varying degrees of success. Generally, the types of dyes we use to make TransFast and TransTint won't work very well. However, I have heard of folks placing the pieces in a pressure cooker and doing it with our dyes. I'm pretty sure Luthiers Mercantile in California knows of a process. You also might try the Guild of American Luthiers. As a rule luthiers tend to be an inventive sort and I'm sure something has been figured out. (they use dyed veneers for headstock inlays)

I havent tried it, but I have heard that if you boil the veneers first to solubilize the tannic acid, pour off the water, then soak the veneer for 5 days in RIT dye, that will work.

JJ//

I'm going to try a few things, and keep investigating...I'll report back.

bg

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Brian Gray

Posts: 339

Joined: 2004-01-21
Location: Sandusky, OH

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Subject : RE: Dying veneers
Posted : 2004-02-18 5:40 PM
Post #31295 - In reply to #31294

Paul Schurch wrote back to me when I posed the question to him....

I'll shorten his version....

Use a light fast salt-based fabric dye such as RIT or Dharma. Powder, not liquid.
Mix this with distilled water.
Put the veneer in a pan big enough to allow the veneer float freely.
Heat the pan between 160-180 deg until color has completely penetrated.
This could be several hours.
Check for penetration by feather cutting the wood.
Use a light wood such as maple or anigre.
After full penetration, wash off the veneer with cold water to to "Fix" the color.
Wipe off and dry between cauls, changing paper to dry the veneer.

I'll be trying this method soon, and will report back.

bg

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Brian Gray

Posts: 339

Joined: 2004-01-21
Location: Sandusky, OH

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Subject : Success!
Posted : 2004-02-22 1:58 PM
Post #31296 - In reply to #31295

I used Paul Schurch's method, and it turned out fine. Completely saturated and penetrated.

I had one pan with powdered RIT, and one with liquid. I can't tell the difference.

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Bob L.

Subject : RE: Success!
Posted : 2004-02-24 7:29 AM
Post #31311 - In reply to #31296

Thanks for the update!

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