Suitable Stain/dye Under Epoxy?

[j. pierce]

I've been working with KTM-9 waterbase laquer and System-3 Epoxy as a grainfill.

I'd like to do some staining on my current projects - particularly, a hand-rubbed burst-sort of finish. (I've been experimenting with both hand-applied and sprayed finishes, and on these padauk tops, I think a more subtle one-or-two tone burst will give me the effect that I want.)

Thing is, I haven't managed to use stains or dyes in conjunction with the KTM-9/System 3 finishing method with much luck. The couple of times I've experimented with staining wood under these finishes, when I apply the epoxy grainfill, it pulls up some of the colour, and it smears around. I actually just "dealt with it" on one build - made sure I sanded the grainfill down until it was just in the pores of the wood, which removed any haze (and added a nice character to the wood) and scraped the binding well where the colour had gone over that.

Thing is, if I do a really nice sunburst, I don't want applying my grainfill to smear it all around.

I suppose one option is to do the grainfill first, and spray the burst over it, but my experimenting has been that colouring the wood directly is going to give me the look that I'd like. (I'm thinking like some of those old tobacco gibson mandolins, but with the red of the padauk instead of the yellow hue)

So I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong - it could be the dyes and stains I've tried, it could be I've not let them dry enough. Maybe I should spray a sealer coat of my finish before laying down the epoxy?

I'll continue experimenting on scrap, but I thought if anyone could point me in the direction of a colorant I should try, it'd be appreciated. I'm thinking I'll try the Colortone Liquid Stain from Stewmac (I need to order some stuff from there anyway) if that sounds like a good idea. (I've tried some artists alchohol aniline dyes, and Minwax stains)

[brewu22]

I've been working with KTM-9 waterbase laquer and System-3 Epoxy as a grainfill.

I'd like to do some staining on my current projects - particularly, a hand-rubbed burst-sort of finish. (I've been experimenting with both hand-applied and sprayed finishes, and on these padauk tops, I think a more subtle one-or-two tone burst will give me the effect that I want.)

Thing is, I haven't managed to use stains or dyes in conjunction with the KTM-9/System 3 finishing method with much luck. The couple of times I've experimented with staining wood under these finishes, when I apply the epoxy grainfill, it pulls up some of the colour, and it smears around. I actually just "dealt with it" on one build - made sure I sanded the grainfill down until it was just in the pores of the wood, which removed any haze (and added a nice character to the wood) and scraped the binding well where the colour had gone over that.

Thing is, if I do a really nice sunburst, I don't want applying my grainfill to smear it all around.

I suppose one option is to do the grainfill first, and spray the burst over it, but my experimenting has been that colouring the wood directly is going to give me the look that I'd like. (I'm thinking like some of those old tobacco gibson mandolins, but with the red of the padauk instead of the yellow hue)

So I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong - it could be the dyes and stains I've tried, it could be I've not let them dry enough. Maybe I should spray a sealer coat of my finish before laying down the epoxy?

I'll continue experimenting on scrap, but I thought if anyone could point me in the direction of a colorant I should try, it'd be appreciated. I'm thinking I'll try the Colortone Liquid Stain from Stewmac (I need to order some stuff from there anyway) if that sounds like a good idea. (I've tried some artists alchohol aniline dyes, and Minwax stains)

+1 on sealing the wood with something before grain filling. The ktm-9 should seal it just fine. Its always best to stick with a finishing system that is compatible. If you can, try it on some scrap first. Good luck.