Aniline Dye Experiments

[araz]

I finally completed my first project, well actually I went through three bodies and two necks but I'm finally done It's a mahogonay back, maple top with flamed maple veneer, maple neck, purple-heart fretboard and jabota headstock veneer.

I want to make the flamed maple veneer pop, you know, where the patterns on the wood have that 3D look. So I set up 9 flamed maple scraps to experiment on with different tecniques and colour combinations.

I purchased 3 water-based aniline dyes from LeeValley, Ebony black, light yellow and Honeytone Amber. I want a yellow-amber-orangy-like coloured top to contrast the purpleheart fingerboard. In retrospect, I should have bought some more colours for more possible combinations. Oh well...

I already sander the pieces of scrap from 220 to 400, raised the grain with a damp cloth and sanded again from 220 to 400. If you are doing this on a thin piece of veneer like I am, be careful not to sand through the veneer. In this case, the veneer is glued on MDF.

Here is what I plan to do on each piece:

1: yellow, sand back, yellow

2: amber, sand back, amber

3: black, sand back, yellow

4: black, sand back, amber

5: yellow, sand back, amber

6: amber, sand back, yellow

7: ??

8: ??

9: ??

The point of all this is to experiment and get some experience before actually applying any stain on the guitar. I'm also hoping to be helpful to others in the same situation and to also get advice from more experienced "stainers".

I will apply the stains probably tomorrow so there is still time if you want to make suggestions for 7, 8, and 9 or modify 1 - 6.

I will post pictures as I progress. Let's see how all this will turn out

Araz

[martrix]

I will be watching with great anticipation! I'm a newbie to these methods, so it will be great to watch the process.

I have read on this forum that it can be hard to get awesome deep result's with veneer, as opposed to say a carved 12mm thick top. I think it was Drak that gave up on a Quilted veneer top, anyway lookin forward to more pics!

[bugman96]

7: ??

8: ??

9: ??

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amber sand back black

yellow sand back black

[araz]

Just applied the first coats. The yellow seems to pop the flame pattern more than the amber, e.g. compare 1 and 2. I will let them dry and then sand them back a bit.

I used bugman96's suggestions for #7 and #8 and black for the last one.

Araz

[araz]

Here's what it looks like when the 1st coat has dried. The colours are not as intense anymore.

Then I sanded back on each one. At this point I kind of got the feeling that I didn't sand back enough on the black ones (3, 4 and 9) but I continued anyways...

The second coats (still wet) look like this based on 1(Y:Y), 2(A:A), 3(B:Y), 4(B:A), 5(Y:A), 6(A:Y), 7(A:B ), 8(Y:B ), 9(B:?)

I'm starting to like 1 (Y:Y), 2(A:A), 5(Y:A) and 6(A:Y). The black colour is too dominating on 3(B:Y) and 4(B:A) but maybe I didn't sand back enough? Can anyone confirm this from the link above. Should I sand back until I see a lot more of the maple?

Also, applying black over a colour coat completely hides the underlying colour, i.e, 7(A:B ). Therefore I didn't do 8(Y:B ) because it would have looked just like 7.

Comments and suggestions appreciated.

Araz

Edited November 21, 2005 by araz

[Daniel Sorbera]

deffinitly sand back more. You should only see a little black highlighting the grain.

I like number 5 the most.

[Hughes]

so when your staining black, do you dilute it much with water? and you sand ALOT off? thanks...looking good also i like 5

[rhoads56]

yellow and black dont mix. use brown.

Personally, i never use the sand back technique, i think it sux, and is more effort than its worth. But hey, thats just me.

[Hughes]

Perry, what is your method? Do you just dilute the black alot?

sorry for the basic questions but i figure its easier to just ask

[M_A_T_T]

I have a friend that gets tops looking just a good as the 'stain black sand back' guys here get, though I believe he just uses a yellow/amber dye stain to highlight the grain.

[araz]

Are Perry and Matt saying the same thing? Can you guys shed some light on this. I would really appreciate to know how to get the best effect, with or without using black but preferably without!

Araz

[araz]

Here's the guitar stained yellow, sand back, amber, sand back, yellow (or was it amber again). In the end, I used my judgement after each coat to apply the next coat.

I'm very happy with the result, especially that I only paid 12$ (cnd) for the veneer and in the end I didn't use any black. I can't wait to see it with the clear coats on...

Araz

[piedpiperX2000]

Any update on the progress? I really want to see it Or maybe try it myself; I would like to learn how to do the "burnt orange" burst. It seems to me that they either use black or really dark brown burst initially, then red burst after the black/brown is sanded, then sanded even lighter after the red is dry and use yellow overtop of that ( I really want to try this)

Late - Josh ^^

[araz]

Any update on the progress?  I really want to see it

Hey Josh,

No more progress to report, I'm done with the experiments. I already stained the guitar, see picture above. I gave up on the black because it required too much sanding back which is not possible/advisable to do it on a thin piece on veneer.

Or maybe try it myself; I would like to learn how to do the "burnt orange" burst.  It seems to me that they either use black or really dark brown burst initially, then red burst after the black/brown is sanded, then sanded even lighter after the red is dry and use yellow overtop of that ( I really want to try this)

  Late - Josh ^^ 

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Check out this thread http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=12912

Take care,

Araz