Aniline Dye in Danish Oil for Dark Mission / Stickley Wood Finish plus Avoiding Lap Marks in Dyes

Mixing JE Moser's / Lockwood Woodworking Aniline Dye in Danish Oil instead of water or solvent for a dye stain without lap marks and witness marks. Tired of mixing analine dye with water, only to raise the grain and have dark streaks and lap marks in the finished furniture? Alcohol or solvent lacquer dyes aren't much better because they dry too quickly. Try mixing oil soluble Mosers / Moser / Lockwood dye into Watco Danish oil instead.
JE Mosers Aniline Dye... woodworker.com/oil-soluble-go...
WD Lockwood Color Chart (same as Moser)... www.wdlockwood.com/
Watco Danish Oil... amzn.to/3E7RHM3
Or shop my entire curated collection (Shop Tested) on The Thoughtful Woodworker Storefront…
www.amazon.com/shop/thethough...
As an Amazon Associate I earn commissions, and am grateful for your support.
Please hit the thumbs up button, and subscribe for more free woodworking and upholstery content!

[@dannmarks]

I thought it looked very good before you added the second coat of color gel stain. For me the whole point of dye is the clarity of the natural wood with a color tint. I enjoyed the video and thank you for sharing.

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

A cool way to avoid lap marks and raising the grain!

[@justcruisin109]

Great advice thanks - less stress during finishing is a plus. Cheers

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

Thanks for the kind comment. Best to you.

[@rickhammer2374]

I have always start with making a control sample. Using that formula I use SW concentrated dyes added to lacquer thinner and then spray until I match my sample. I do not wipe this stain off - it takes care of any type of splotchy type of material. The I seal and top coat with conversion varnish.

[@rebeccaloleary]

Really informative and helpful video! I’ve been toying with the idea of adding oil based dye to Waterlox. I do a lot of mid century furniture but don’t really have the winter setup to spray toner and lacquer. I read that the dye can be mixed with a bit of mineral spirits before adding it to the Waterlox. I wonder if adding solvent would help penetration the way it does when adding to pure tung oil?

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

Thanks Rebecca! Thinner might help it dissolve in certain oils, but I doubt it would change the way it penetrates. Luckily, I really like the way Danish oils normally work. Best to you. Let me know if Waterlox works.

[@jonm3255]

What you are doing is great work and very informative! i have built many craftsman style pieces of furniture in QS white oak over the last 30 years and experimented with many different finishes including combinations of dyes (alcohol and water), shellac, pore fillers and Watco oils. I'm embarking on a new project in QSWO and want to do something radical (think of electric guitar vs Mission colors). Perhaps starting with black alcohol base dye, sanding back to highlight pores and expose the rays, red dyed Danish oil, (??? shellac sealer), clear Danish oil. What do you think? The project is speaker cabinets, so not a lot of protection needed.

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

Thanks! I've seen black dyes that are sanded back, and it looks very good. I haven't had great luck with primary colors like red or yellow, but it could give an interesting look. If you make sample boards and sand, finish, and topcoat them as planned, it will tell you a lot. Best to you.

[@charlessemkenjr.7991]

Thanks for sharing this video. Very helpful and informative. When I click on the link for the link for the dye it says woodworkers supply is closed. Do you know where else this could be purchased? I’ve tried looking but can’t seem to find it…

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

Thanks Charles. Tools for Working Wood has them here... toolsforworkingwood.com/store/dept/CLW or you can call Lockwood Dyes directly to order at [phone] Best to you!

[@charlessemkenjr.7991]

@@TheThoughtfulWoodworkerthank you, greatly appreciated!

[@f.kieranfinney457]

So I tried this on a white oak picture frame. When I applied shellac with a cloth it really lifted a lot of the black dye. Think I’d spray in future. The dye in Danish oil took 5 days to ‘dry’ and still felt oily. Probably I would only use this on a big project where the stain application will take a long time so lap marks are an issue.

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

Yes the shellac should always be sprayed over dye. My Lockwood dye in Danish Oil dried overnight. I wonder if it was cold in the shop or?

[@f.kieranfinney457]

@@TheThoughtfulWoodworker not too bad, 55-60. Danish oil alone takes 72 hrs to cure so I thought it was within reason. Do you sand the shellac? I used 0000 steel wool. Felt like maybe 220 might have helped the gel stain grab better. Now I have to make a suitable low sheen top coat. Rubbed Tung oil or something.

[@Tethysmeer]

Would it be possible to finish only with Danish oil? 1. Coat with dye, then 3-4 coats pure danish oil?

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

Yes I think Danish oil over dye would work fine, but you'd have to experiment. I'd be a little worried that some dye might lift up as you wipe or brush on the oil. I prefer to spray shellac or lacquer onto the dye so it doesn't bleed or lift. Worth trying though. Danish oil is great for bringing out the color and character of wood, but it doesn't offer much protection. I always topcoat it with sprayed lacquer. Best to you.

[@f.kieranfinney457]

I’ve always mixed Transtint in just alcohol. Does the lacquer thinner slow down the drying (even without the retardant) or doesn’t it speed it up? I recently discovered that the powdered dyes do have a finite shelf life and make funny colors if too old. Was about to order new ones, then saw this. Reconsidering my whole routine now.

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

Transtint can be mixed in alcohol, water, or the 50/50 mix of DA and Lacquer Thinner. It probably dries just as fast as straight alcohol without the retarder. With retarder it dries a little slower. The 50/50 mix helps the dye when applying to oak or open grain wood, and avoids bleed back and spotting. My main goal with Danish oil is to slow drying time. I ordered some Lockwood Dark walnut oil soluble dye yesterday, and that will be my next experiment. Best to you.

[@f.kieranfinney457]

@@TheThoughtfulWoodworker thanks. I guess another advantage is the oil doesn’t raise grain like water and alcohol. A clear oil base would allow unlimited colors. I use stain on walnut as well as oak, to even out the tone and hide sapwood. Seems like experiments are in order! I LOVE your channel. No fluff, theatrics or clickbait. Thanks so much for what you do.

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

@@f.kieranfinney457 thanks I deeply appreciate your comment. Best to you!

[@fredb.6809]

I have a highly figured red oak that I would like to stain a darker color. I have been experimenting with several products on some scrap pieces, but everything causes the dark streaks of the grain to become too dark. These streaks have long open pores that capture pigment but even dyes are not working. I thought I might try the method discussed here but I am unable to find the oil soluble aniline dye. Any recommendations?

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

Just call Lockwood dyes and they'll ship you what you need. Best to you.

[@fredb.6809]

I have the Lockwood "oil stain powder". Directions say to first dissolve in benzol, naphtha or turpentine, and then dilute that mixture in solvent. It does not mention Danish oil. Any recommendations?

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

The literature they publish indicates that Lockwood oil soluble dye powder can be dissolved directly in Danish oil. Not the water soluble dye powder though. It worked fine in my testing, but experiment on some sample boards.

[@jnpropertiesllc6051]

Hello. The link to the dye says that online store closed. I tried searching online for the dye but was unsuccessful at locating. Where can you purchase now?

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

I get them at Lockwood dyes... www.wdlockwood.com/ Best of luck!

[@jnpropertiesllc6051]

@@TheThoughtfulWoodworker Oh OK. I see. So that would be the #562 Dark Fumed Oak if matching what you used. I am new to using dyes and I think this is a great way to get me in the door. Thanks for the video!

[@DingoAteMeBaby]

is it a dye or a pigment?

[@TheThoughtfulWoodworker]

Analine dye powder. Some of their marketing blurbs call it a dye stain, which is confusing. It's dye.