Spraying dye for consistent results

Dyes are made up of molecular-size particles that add color to wood without loss of grain definition. Because dyes are transparent, they enhance the figure of the wood. Tight grain woods like maple and birch can only be successfully stained by using dye. Most stains that you can purchase from local home stores use pigments. These are made up larger particles that enhance the wood's grain because they get lodged in the pores.

I like to use TransTint dyes made by Homestead Finishing. I mix them into water and apply. Using a rag, it's easy to get lap marks if the dye is drying too fast as you apply it. I've been successful poring a small puddle on the wood and using a 3M maroon colored Scotch-Brite very fine abrasive pad to spread the dye quickly over the entire surface. I make sure there isn't any puddles, and then just let the wood soak in the dye and let it dry. In most cases, this works well. Lately, I've been spraying dye for a more reliable outcome.

Here is my new toy. It's a small HVLP sprayer intended for detailed or touch-up applications. With a 4 ounce cup capacity, this sprayer is more than enough for many of my projects. A major bonus is that it only takes a minute to clean the gun. To spray dye without getting the drips that cause lap marks can be a challenge because the low viscosity of water is difficult to atomize. You want a gentle mist of dye to apply to the wood so puddles don't occur. The lower the viscosity of the finish you are spraying, the smaller you want the nozzle diameter to be. I have found that a 0.8mm nozzle works perfectly for dye.

I know you are thinking, this is something for someone more talented, or at least more rich, than me. I've looked at spray guns for years and they are either very expensive or very cheap. The cheap ones must be bad, otherwise why do people buy expensive ones? There must be a difference that professionals can claim, but I found a inexpensive gun that delivers great quality for under $30.  Here is a source for the same product that I purchased.

Combined with my inexpensive Husky compressor ($99), I am ready for even more new projects. Now I spray dyes, shellac, water-based finishes, and even acrylic paint. I'll never go back to brushes. I'll expand on this in later posts.