Tinting CA?

I never had luck with color matches using wood powder. I doesn't stand out as much when the whole piece is finished but still not satisfactory. No matter what I do, you can see the fills.

So now, when I fill a piece, the filled areas become "features". Ta - dah!

I had good luck with color copier toners. Nothing else seems to work that well for me.

I know you are asking about using CA, but I didn't do all that well with CA as the filler (except with black toner) so I switched to 5 minute epoxy.

I use a lot of mesquite for different little gizmos like lamp pulls, small candle sticks, etc., to give as gifts and to sell. As you know, mesquite has a lot of problems with windshake, which makes lines similar to spalting, but are really cracks. They also have several borers in this area that love the stuff as well as termites.

So I found the more gnawed up the piece was the more interesting it became when filled. Black is a natural color for mesquite filler and it can really look beautiful. I rough turn several shapes to near final, then sand to about half way, then mix up the epoxy and put some toner in it and mix.

I had a friend give me a small bottle of toner which has lasted for years, but until I go that I used toner that I took out of old laser jet cartridges that couldn't be recycled.

I used red with the epoxy, and it looked OK, but the black still looks the classiest. I haven't tried any other colors but I know others are available on the net.

I have used powdered key filings (interesting) with both CA and epoxy, as well as espresso grind coffee. The espresso grind mix worked great as it didn't polish to a super high gloss like pure resins from the CA and epoxy mix. It leaves a little bit of texture that makes the filled area look more natural.

If you try the 5 minute epoxy, remember that you still need to let it set up for about 24 hours before you can final sand and polish it up. Five minutes is the pot life only, and after that it is like any other epoxy.

I also found the epoxy worked out MUCH cheaper than CA.

Robert

In message , " snipped-for-privacy@aol.com" writes

I have used the epoxy method loaded with metal powder - copper, aluminium, brass etc., and if gives a nice finish, but you really need to ensure you use the correct ratio of hardener to resin otherwise it may not cure. It might need a little experimentation as the filler affects the cure. I used a 50/50 mix but with copper powder added, in a rather small quantity, it still stayed soft.

As to using CA, first, as you mention its more expensive. Second it tends to dry brittle, so if the wood moves it could crack, ( the smaller the piece of wood then relatively less movement), and third using it in large quantities, can be uncomfortable, if not potentially dangerous to personal health. I used a whole bottle in an experiment the other week, and found it caused my eyes to sting, similarly to the effect Ammonia would have, I suspect its the fumes drawing on the moisture of the eyes, and that was 1 minute exposure

I tried the flexible black but maybe it was a bad bottle. It seemed to turn out fine at the time, but a few weeks later it was bulging above the rest of the piece. Never tried tinting CA. Epoxy tints well, at least with black dye.

Are you staying warm down there? Don't want you getting frostbite.

Yep.. that's why, like you, I try to contrast instead of hide..

Hmm... where would you get toner in small quantities, Robert... I like the idea, but after spending almost $200 on 2 black laser cartridges in the States yesterday, I'm wondering how and where to get small quantities..

I'm thinking that instead of mailing in the old cartridge, I'll pull the remaining toner out.. very carefully..

I had a friend that had a toner refilling business that died from what it did to his lungs and heart over the years..

I'm doing a large bowl now using CA/brass filings... It looks really cool, but the brass is hard as hell on my buffing wheels and turns them black.. yuk.. It's a really nice effect, though, as it looks almost like gold nuggets in the cracks and knots..

Good point... I use epoxy when I have too, but I'm not very patient.. Give me 2 or 3 thickness's of CA and a can of aerosol accelerator and I'm there..lol

Thanks for the tips, Robert..

mac

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Well, it's a bit chilly, still.. It was 87f and 77% humidity at 6 am today..

Feels like I was in Atlanta or someplace.. lol

mac

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We have a few Office Depot stores here, and from time to time they will put a lone bottle of Xerox or some other brand of copier toner that is discontinued out at a huge discount. Sometimes they even have colored toners as well. The price isn't always an issue on though as one bottle lasts forever making it a good investment.

When a buddy of mine was at work one day, the copier guys showed up for his routine monthly service call, and he gave my buddy about 1/2 of the stuff left over in the bottle after filling the reservoir in the machine. He gave that to me.

I just take all the black stuff I collect and put it in a squeeze bottle, all mixed up. A couple of good whiffs from the bottle when mixing is all it takes. And since it goes so far, it lasts forever.

One idea I had that I was going to try but haven't gotten to yet was to use Rit powdered cloth dye. Seems like it should work, and for a couple of bucks a shot you could get an whole palette of colors.

I hear you loud and clear on that! One of the great things about woodturning is that you can finish your projects (or come close, depending) the same day you start.

But if I am making lamps, I usually make them about five at a time, so I have this "assembly line" mentality anyway.

That reminds me... I have about 3 months before my Christmas season starts...

Robert

If you still have the old toner cartridges there will be a few ounces of toner left in each of them. The copier/printer doesn't get it all.

In message , mac davis writes

A possible alternative is the powder paints they used to have in schools many years ago, small square tins in the UK, just add water and you had paint, maybe they would work, and probably a lot safer than toner

or

There are powder dyes for clothing, Dylon in the UK

or

Not sure if this one is wax based, but there are dyes for colouring paraffin wax used to make candles, a small drop goes miles

"John" wrote: (clip) A possible alternative is the powder paints they used to have in schools

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I have had success with dried up poster paints.

If you don't mind spending a few bucks, the best fillers I know are the shellac sticks that come in various colors, which can be blended, and can be made streaky to simulate wood grain. The stuff is applied with a special electric heated knife. It sands off beautifully to match the surrounding wood surface. They are used by professional restorers and claims adjusters who work for moving companies.

Yeah.. I saved it to "harvest", but that only gives me black... not a real exciting filler color.. ;-]

mac

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In message , John writes

I actually came across my dyes Red Blue and Yellow so gave it a try.

Only a few grains (1/4 match head) of the dye was placed on a flat surface (piece of wood) and CA dropped onto it. The colour flowed into the CA almost immediate, proving it is CA soluble. Now I have a nice red coloured piece of wood. Though it has a level of opacity to it which can be changed by the amount of dye used. Still not sure if it would work as a filler, because of the opacity, but does give an option. IIRC the cost of these dyes was about $12 a time, but it could go miles

Are your dyes powdered? I have all my candle stuff packed away somewhere, but all my dyes and scents are in blocks that you shave off of..

mac

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Hi Mac, yes these are powdered. Mine came in a container about 2 inch diameter and 4 inch high.

I have taken a photo of the powder, and the piece of holly I did my experiment on. All I did was place a few grains on the wood and drip CA on it.

There is a picture at

IIRC it only took a small quantity to dye a couple of pounds of wax to a deep red

On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:31:02 -0500, mac davis wrote (in message ):

This is way late, but thought I'd chime in. Taken me awhile to read up on some of the rest here. I use powdered aniline dyes in some of my woodworking, though not yet with superglue. They are alcohol/acetone soluble, and not too spendy. They are available in lots of colors, like the "Rit" clothing dyes are. A pinch of the powdered dye in the CA, and you should be good. The powders can be mixed for different shades, but you'd have to experiment to get the right recipe. tom koehler