DIY Machinist Blue Layout Fluid

[@davidmcinnes317]

Throw the insides of a couple of dried up markers into your meths and leave them to soak.I always seem to forget to replace the caps and it actually makes decent layout fluid.I just keep throwing in old markers and a little meths to keep it thinned out.

[@rustygear9370]

Thank you for the tip. By the way, you can also use "Methylene Blue", which is a powder that gives a very deep blue coloration and is soluble in ethanol.

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers. I have seen a few other people recommend this, and it looks like it could be a great alternative too. I must admit, it did not occur to me as I have only encountered methylene blue in dilute concentrations and didn't know about it in powdered form. Cheers

[@SpaceMarshalGyorni]

Fun science fact: Live eucaryotic (human or animal) cells will not absorb methylene blue, while dead cells will be stained by it. So it's a very common chemical you'll encounter in almost any lab that does some sort of cell culture, since this method is an easy, quick and cheap way to determine the viability of your culture.

[@goldgulfcoastdesignericsho8628]

I love your ingenuity! Make it if you can’t get it. That’s what home Machinist do.

[@paulg3336]

I'm glad I randomly came across this video. I was thinking of coming up with a layout fluid using shellac but ,like you, Prussian blue is expensive here in NZ. I have a large container of shellac that my dad would use to bond grind stones to a concrete grinder disk after heating the disk and melting the shellac onto it.

[@danp1224]

You can make Prussian blue for about $150 you will have heaps. Enough for a life time. You need potassium ferric cyanide and a iron chloride. Check my KZbin channel

[@ScrapwoodCity]

Thank you for this one. I am definitely going to try it out.

[@michaelabratzel6371]

Using food colouers: you could dry them first, and then resolve them in alcohol bevor adding them to the shellac base

[@artisanmakes]

I am sure there are many ways to get a dye for this. Wouldn't surprise me if this method worked as long as most of the water was removed. Cheers.

[@69uremum]

Hi temp exhaust paint works great for a extremely fast drying, spray on marking medium. I use it any time I need my layout lines to remain intact when high temp is involved, wont fade when using a cutt-off wheel, plasma cutting etc. Available in almost all auto parts stores:)

[@hookdaddy1973]

I suggest using the ink from the permanent marker in your solution. Open up the marker take out the insides and soak it in the shellac mixture. I don't know if it will work but since it's alcohol-based it might work just perfectly.

[@artisanmakes]

I have seen this method used and it works brilliantly, it gets super saturated, probably more so than what I achieved here. The only down side is that it is not as cost effective as by dye method, but this method is certainly one to recommend.

[@mikeyzs]

One of the features of layout fluid is that you can mark it without marking your part. It looked like you needed to use enough force to mark the part to get through the shellac, so could be worth testing an even more diluted ratio now you’ve got the building blocks in place

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers. I must admit, the shot of the aluminum at the end was scratched much harder than intended. A lighter line, which I would normally do, didn't show up on the camera too well, so I make a much deeper line to better show the line contrast, more akin to what I was seeing in the workshop, rather than what the camera was picking up. A good indication of the line contrast would be on the brass in the final shot.

[@garethb5729]

Your channel is so pure and delightful. Thank you wonderful person.

[@homemadetools]

Clever. We featured this video in our homemade tools forum this week and people really liked this one :)

[@adrianrawlings2470]

Hazar. I've been searching for a good diy marking fluid recipe. It's also fantastic you used products we can source here in Australia.

[@markcoren2842]

Everclear and bug juice... this will be a piece of cake 😁 Thanks for another great, helpful video!

[@MarkWarbington]

When I was in high school in the early 1980s, my shop teacher made layout fluid by putting sheets of carbon paper into a container with isopropyl alcohol. Leave it overnight and pull out the paper the next morning. I still have a little toolbox that we made in class and some of the layout is still visible. Of course, carbon paper is a rare commodity these days, but maybe it's available in art supply stores for tracing.

[@AndrossUT]

Carbon paper, solvent, and brake fluid was an old school way to make graffiti mop and marker fluid. They used blackboard erasers for the mop heads too

[@dev-debug]

Never would have thought Dykem would be hard to get outside the US. Always fun to save some money and come up with alternative solutions regardless. Dykem does make a layout marker but it's kind of pricey for what it is. If you buy a 10 pack they end up about $4 each, a whole quart (almost 1 liter) of Dykem runs about $25 USD.

[@steelcannibal]

Great work around for making your own layout fluid, I love it! Cheer's from the State's!

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

I like using permanent marker and for others that do here is a tip. I use an Artline 130 marker as it has more of a wipe than a tip. The wipe is 30mm wide so it covers a large area quickly. It also has a removable cap on the back so it’s easy to refill. I got a couple of the big 330ml jars of Artline ink at half price so I won’t need to buy a new marker for a long time. Great video with good narration and an excellent way to make a more durable set out ink. Cheers Stuart 🇦🇺

[@3goldfinger]

Where do you get refill from

[@johanvanrensburg9433]

Thank you for this video. We have the same problem here in South Africa, so I am definitely going to make this.

[@moejasss]

Out of curiosity, where would you find shellac? Out of about 10 hardware shops in my town, none of them have shellac

[@johanvanrensburg9433]

@@moejasss I have not yet tried. I live in a small town in Limpopo (Modimolle) so I imagine that I will also struggle a bit. Where are you?

[@Realtime1501]

Potassium permanganate dissolved in methylated spirits or acetone,toughest layout fluid I have ever used

[@artisanmakes]

G'day everyone. I hope this video is helpful. I would like to point out that the loose tool holder nut problem (starting at 0:00) that I have had in a few problems with in the past has since been fixed with a wing nut and should start appearing in new footage. Cheers. EDIT: Great to hear some alternative solutions in the comments and I will have to look into some of them . If you are looking to deviate from the gentian violet approach, be sure to check that the dye to you choose to use is soluble in Ethanol (or your choice of solvent) and will not react with said solvent. Cheers.

[@johnshadle4817]

I live in the US where Dykem is available, but not real cheap. I had a bad experience with a Dykem applicator -- one of those small bottles with a felt on one end. I tipped it upside down to apply it and the felt cap came off, drenching my bench and floor with blue. Since then, I've used a large felt-tip pen. The boys at Dykem need to do some product testing.

[@Bob_Adkins]

In the USA, we have lacquer thinner, which dissolves lacquer instantly and dries much faster than methyl alcohol. It's primary use here is cleaning paint brushes and spills. The fumes are quite nasty but fine in small amounts like layout dye.

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers. I am sure that most alcohol solvents should work here.

[@markfryer9880]

Paint thinners comes in different grades with different evaporation rates. The automotive paint thinner evaporates the fastest but can and does make your head spin and catches you in the back of your throat from the fumes to a far greater extent than ordinary painters thinners.

[@RobinHood-rw4om]

In my day, there was available small tubes of 'blue paste'. It was used while setting the bearings of the main journal of a crank shaft . The paste was applied to the main journal, put in place, cap tightened. Blue spots on the surface of the bearing was gently scraped off and the process repeated untill most of the bearing surface was blue. Ready for the final assembly .

[@fredfarnackle5455]

You are confusing marking blue with engineer's blue. Marking dye for layout - engineer's blue for bearings etc.

[@timstools]

Thanks for this saved me a real hassle

[@pauldevey8628]

Great video. I have not seen this content before.

[@bobweiram6321]

Use the ink from am inkjet printer. Pour it into a jar and allow it to evaporate snd thicken a bit. You can also lightly heat it, bu let it cool before the next step. Mix shellac and acetone or nail polish and pour it into the jar. Mix and ass more acetone until the mixture is the proper consistency. Let it evaporate a bit more to thicken and add denatured alcohol. The alcohol allows it to dry slower. You can mix acetone and alcohol to reach an ideal drying time. You can use only alcohol for entire mixture from step one, but alcohol slows the process.

[@Gowaduv]

as long as you're going to an art supply store you can find out if they carry alcohol based inks. They're common in the US for artists who use refillable alcohol markers, so ymmv. The inks are also used to dye epoxy resin without adding water to the resin.

[@WaschyNumber1]

Very nice, was looking long time for this kind of excellent video 👍

[@isobar5857]

The 'old ways' are sometimes the best and cheapest...like a copper sulphate solution.

[@Jack_C_]

G'day, I use a very similar formula except for the dye I use "Liquid Spray Marker Dye". This is the dye you put in herbicides (like Roundup) so you can see which weeds you have sprayed. It is a very intense dye and I bought a 500ml bottle from Bunnings for about $20 and it has lasted a long time. You can get it in different colours as well I think. I also filter the shellac formula through an old stocking or open weave material to get the lumps out. Don't get it on you though, it stains real good.😊

[@motorolaarsenarsenysergeye7401]

Pet and Livestock Friendly (Yes/No) No Selective (Yes/No) No Organic (Yes/No) No Fruit and Vegetable Friendly (Yes/No) No

[@mpetersen6]

What if one purchases shellac at a paint store and adds the dye to it? Possible down side set-up time. For ferrous metals in my opinion nothing beats Blue Vitrol or Copper Sulfate solution.

[@icusawme2]

Looks very much like Dykem blue. Nicely done

[@artisanmakes]

Near enough is close enough. Cheers

[@rexmyers991]

Excellent video! Thanks for the recipe.

[@tommysmith8801]

Gonna have to remember this

[@craigmonteforte1478]

good tips ironically my first thought was Food Colring as Well but as the Video played i kept thinking about different Inks diluted with Petroleum based Spirits or Thinners comparable for those Inks years ago i worked at a Printing Shop and then they purchased Inks that came in a Paste we scooped onto the Press Rollers for equal Distibution onto the Press Plates FYI this was years before InkJet and other Printing Methods had been developed to be comparable with PersonalComputers

[@lookingbehind6335]

Nice….I use the Monster Sharpies. You can get a pack of 4, two blue and two black for 7 dollars. They work wonderful and last a long time.

[@MattysWorkshop]

Gday, thanks for explaining all this, I’m almost out of layout fluid and I’ve been thinking of getting some from the states but the shipping is to bloody expensive, I might be giving this a go I think, cheers

[@SouseMouse]

I really like blue Sharpie brush pens for touch-off or scratch pass marking. The brush pens are a lot wetter than the standard markers, so they'll give a good dark mark even at fairly high RPM on the lathe. Their mark isn't very durable, though. For proper layout I use the heady solvent cocktail known as Dykem. As stated in the video it's easy to get in the USA. The shellac stuff doesn't look too bad, but I'm spoiled and would want a more saturated dye. I wonder if the spots are solids that could be filtered out. I'd also want to experiment with mixed solvents to speed drying.

[@chadpendt2863]

Food coloring also comes in dry powder form. Precisely because the extra water can throw off the consistency of certain recipes. Give it a shot

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers. I didn't see any in the store, but I will keep an eye out. I am sure it would work.

[@chadpendt2863]

@@artisanmakes you usually see them more in confectioners sweets cuz of the icing. try asking your local pastry or bakery where they get theirs?

[@markfryer9880]

Good solution to a common problem with a well made video. Thumbs Up and a Subscription to support an Aussie battler.

[@Borgedesigns]

So cool! Ive been looking for a source of marking fluid but this will do much better!

[@kencurtis508]

Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@artisanmakes]

Thanks for watching!

[@Sarcasmarkus]

If prussian blue is available to buy (an artists pigment), then phthalo blue, phthalo green, & dioxazine purple are likely also available and are more staining than prussian blue.

[@MrJackfriday]

This information is gold!

[@GuiltyMalice]

Great video man, I would have never thought about using shellac in this sort of application. Thank you for sharing. When I need a more durable layout and I don’t have dykem I usually would just use a fast drying spray paint from a rattle can. What is your opinion on the spray paint for layout and how do you think it compares to the shellac based layout you make? Again thanks for sharing mate this is awesome and has opened my mind to think up some other uses for shellac in the future.

[@mastermaker666]

Oil-based polyurethane clear lacquer can be diluted with mineral spirits and adding pigment to that(heavily diluted) may be an easier to obtain alternative since in many places art-stores are the only places that 'might' have shellac...

[@artisanmakes]

Yeah it wouldn't surprise me if this works well, and may be a great alternative. I think it is great that there are so many different ways to make this layout dye. Cheers.

[@And3rs88]

Maybe helpful to you, I've been getting dy-mark p20 paint marker pens from total tools and have been really happy with its use as a layout fluid, cheap and convenient, big range of colours, handles really well and marks like a layout fluid should

[@spicecandies]

Very good video. I also make my own dye using crystal violette, shellac and alcohol. The rit dye is an interesting option I will try. Thanks

[@3goldfinger]

You dilute the shellac in alcohol?

[@spicecandies]

@@3goldfinger yes. Both the dye and the shellac are dissolved in alcohol.

[@glennfelpel9785]

Excellent idea for sure. Your channel is quite nice. Good video Thank You

[@artisanmakes]

Thank you very much!

[@MrSpot41]

Excellent info, thank you.

[@woody94157]

I make mine from weed killer marking dye mixed with metholated spirits. Weed killer dye is a very strong dye.

[@robertwalker7457]

Thanks for that, I have been using a marker because Dykem is so expensive. (I try not to use anything more expensive than beer in my shed).

[@CrimeVid]

Engineers blue we used to use, comes off easily but that’s good !

[@hibraisil]

I cleaned out a rental unit a few years ago, and salvaged at least two litres of gentian violet powder. Guess this gives me a lifetime supply of layout fluid. Lol.

[@artisanmakes]

Now I have to jealous of that. Cheers

[@justinpass8154]

All those products are available here in the States very cheap and RIT clothing dye is sold all over the world so it's very accessible and cheap

[@Z-Ack]

Why wouldnt you break open the marker, denatured alcohol and shellac?? With just enough alcohol to dissolve the shellac...

[@TI3WTI]

What about using a new marker (the inside sponge) as a dye for your sellack mixture?

[@artisanmakes]

I have not tested that out. I am not sure how it world work, if the shellac would dry out inside the marker or not. I do not think it would suit my application as I tend to apply a pretty heavy layer to get a deep and saturated coating, hence why I use a brush. Cheers

[@jacoklopper4772]

Thank you for sharing!

[@BritishBeachcomber]

Blue layout fluid contains Methylene chloride, which is thought by the state of California to be a carcinogen. Probably explains why it can be hard to get. But it's readily available in the UK.

[@Nobilangelo]

Potassium Permanganate, also known as Condy's Crystals, dissolves in methylated spirits, so it might work too. Please try it and let us know if it works in a solution of shellac, and if so how well it serves as a layout fluid.

[@ashleysmith3106]

Would Condy's crystals (Potassium permanganate ) work as a colouring agent? It is usually easily accessible at Pharmacies as an antiseptic here in Aus/NZ, and tends to give a rich purple colour in a saturated solution.

[@artisanmakes]

I had my doubts so I did some research and it looks like it would not work as the permanganate would react with the ethanol

[@djpenton779]

great video

[@LittleAussieRockets]

A shellacking good video 👍

[@tjr4744]

!00% Methylated Spirits ... shellac .... Prussian Blue which is available from Art Suppliers. Prussian Blue is a very fine powder and you will need to stir your concoction each time you use it.

Good idea with this dye!

[@darthtortugas]

Try soaking the ink holder/wick thing from the marker in your alcohol then add that to the shellac.

[@7duser10]

Nice video, quite interesting, maybe the RIT dye washes off hands and clothes easier as well? Local Aus options include Dymark, who manufacture and sell 1L packs of layout fluid for $30. Postage is $10 or something :) Cheers

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers mate, I'll keep an eye out. Last time I saw some for sale it was about $50 a bottle. If see it again I'll have to grab some and compare with the shellac layout fluid. Mine seems to be more affordable tough.

[@7duser10]

@@artisanmakes I would definately be interested to see a comparison. Certainly easier just to mix up a different colour. I have heard that the 'new' Dykem fluid is not as good as the old. Could be interesting if you get your hands on some 👍

[@qantse]

@@7duser10 Thanks, ill keep my eyes out for a deal then. I have heard quite a few complaints about dykem too, especially the spray on version. I should have also noted before the shellac was the best option for me since I already had the bottle. Cheers

[@EvilGTV]

@@artisanmakes If you're in Melbourne Cost Less Bolts has it for $33, AA Industrial supplies in Bayswater have it for $35. If NSW Gasweld also list it for $33, although they show out of stock on the website I'm sure they can get it in. Failing that any decent industrial supplier or bearing place should be able to order it in. If they try and stiff you $50+ bucks for it, tell them to sharpen their pencil.

[@HM-Projects]

@@artisanmakes www.bstgroup.com.au/engineers-layout-ink.html

[@rjordans]

Looking at the way this dries it seems quite close to the layout fluid I have here. One option for coloring could be to try some ink, not sure how much you would need and how cost effective it will be though

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers. I could see ink working depending on the type. I have seen some people use sharpie oil based ink to dye the layout fluid, however that option can be a little expensive.

[@billbaggins]

Could have used this a few years ago but found some locally in Tas, where it's hard to get anything more technical than a teatowel🙄 DyMark made in Aus $40 for one litre

[@dougberrett8094]

I started making very small pieces of metal from bigger ones in 1970. Never really got into using layout fluid for anything. I must say, however, that even though this was before DRO, every machine had some sort of dial indicator that was set up on it. Every lathe had Trav A Dial, and the mills had optics. Maybe this has something to do with why nobody in that shop used layout fluid.

[@jacobjacob5898]

in my experience, it's used for oddball stuff; like indicating a single one off radius that you need to hit with the anvil grinder, making the aluminum soft jaws did in fact get faced off, or random 2nd ops on manual machines that just need to be eyeballed (like cutting a length between a double threaded part on a lathe) in reality, a solid caliper and micrometer will help you more with making quality parts than any layout fluid, but having a bottle is super handy.

[@TigerCarpenter]

great recipe. I will try it out I'm wondering why not buy the 500ml of the Permanent Marker Refill, and apply it with the brush if you need thicker deeper colour layout and/or use it to refill your permanent markers as well

[@artisanmakes]

I have heard that it works too, im sure that there are lots of recipes that work. This just works for me

[@TigerCarpenter]

@@artisanmakes thanks for your reply! I've just ordered 500ml of the Permanent Marker Refill, and I'll test it as soon as I have it. who knows I will have to add something to it, to make it dry faster and be more resistant to wiping off (maybe your ingredients like Shellac + Isopropyl / Rubbing Alcohol) it might work as it is, time will reveal the results, and I'll update my comment here

[@sparkeyjames]

Here in the states it was known as bluing dye. At least that is what my father called it as he was a tool and die maker for 35 years.

[@Z-Ack]

Bluing is a process used to treat metal for rust.. is a stain kinda they used a lot on guns back in the day.

[@freemab222]

@@Z-Ack You're confusing bluing of steel with laundry bluing.

[@freemab222]

Yes, laundry bluing is Prussian blue. I've only seen water solutions of it in the markets, but it might be available as the dry solid.

[@cncshrops]

Thanks, very useful.

[@joell439]

Thanks - I did not know this. 👍👍😎👍👍

[@mikenewman4078]

DyMark is the Australian version of laying out blue. Don't buy the pressure pack option as the blue eats its way out of the tin.

[@21gioni]

Fabulous idea shellac. The question is will Ali Bright cleaner remove the shellac?

[@dinkledork4061]

Hi mate, Im not sure what part of Australia you're in, Im in SE Queensland and Autobarn in my home town sells Prussian blue 22ml tube for $21.99 and I found 500ml Dy-mark engineers layout blue at Sympac or Wilsons ( not sure if you have that shop ) for $53 🤙

[@dalinean]

Shellac! I tried to make some fluid with Quinacridone magenta and metho but that just didnt work. Too strong.

[@dylanklemm5534]

Fantastic

[@anmafab]

Hey there, have you seen or used the Dymark brand layout fluid? I've seen it on a few Australian sites for about $35/L

[@fredericch54]

J'utilise un feutre servant à marquer le bétail c'est efficace et vraiment pas cher dans un magasin agricole, moinss de 2 €. Cdlt

[@dennisyoung4631]

Rit Dye? (Mentioned later in the vid.) How about Transtint?

[@Randy_84]

Wonder why it's so hard to find out of the US??

[@craigkaschan4822]

Thanks heaps for sharing this mate I only tried to buy some at my local hardware 2 days ago. If you do small machining jobs I need one done ? NSW Aus.

[@Spark-Hole]

Great, Thanks you, I can use fountain pen ink, or refill catrige from ink jet printer.. to mix with your alcohol

[@artisanmakes]

I have many different fountain pen inks, but as far as I am aware they are all water based so it won't work. I am not sure about the make up of the inkjet ink, I believe they are oil based inks so they could work, but that would get pretty expensive. Cheers.

[@SpatialGuy77]

G’day champ, no one else in the comments asked, but what’s with the shellac? Cheers

[@mindbreak666]

Thanks man.

[@billmacfarlane4083]

I wonder how the ink from a printer would go. Way more expensive than Rit, but might give the 'one treatment' saturation you're looking for.

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers. It could certainly work. It certainly would be more expensive then dye. Switched from inkjet to toner printers years ago, so I probably don't have any ink cartridges laying around.

[@thedadpluskidsproject7781]

Did he just use layout fluid, only to follow up the cut by hand with a hacksaw???

[@artisanmakes]

No, that was just a quick outline mark made with a permanent marker. Don't have a metal bandsaw so I just needed to be able to see where to cut, and make sure it cut square. Cheers

[@gatekeeper84]

Interesting, thanks for the recipe. Have you tried using isopropanol? As a solvent it is similar but it evaporates faster.

[@motorolaarsenarsenysergeye7401]

Costs significantly more compared to methylated spirits... 100ml/$10

[@tonycstech]

Shellac is mixed with alcohol, not mineral spirits. that why it dries too long. Get pure alcohol if possible

[@artisanmakes]

My understanding is that in Australia Mineral Spirits is sold as White Spirits. Methylated Spirits that I used is minimum 95% ethanol. I think the long dry time is just based on the fact that it is winter here and my workshop hovers around 10 degrees or so. In summer the dry time would be much quicker. Cheers

[@tonycstech]

@@artisanmakes The problem i had with alcohol mix is food colorant is not mixing with alcohol so it was a fail. Need die that mixes with alcohol.

[@valterforlano9734]

good morning I used: 97% ethyl alcohol shellac and prussian blue - powder are the same products you used? thank you Greetings valter

[@artisanmakes]

The ethyl alcohol here in Australia is 95% and I used an off the shelf fabric dye, but Prussian blue pigment has certainly been used. I linked a recipe in the video description to a post about a forum user making layout dye with prussian blue.

[@em9594]

What if you dehydrated the food coloring then added it to the spirits? Might be a more affordable option

[@artisanmakes]

Wouldn't surprise me if this worked, as long as there was little to no water. I find it easier to use off the shelf dye, but I am sure this could work.

[@DolezalPetr]

this is a good trick

[@motorolaarsenarsenysergeye7401]

Cost effective formula, tried it with mixed results, used Rit Dye royal blue powder form, methylated spirit and shellac(ratio: 100ml/6.25gr shellac + dye) Any ideas why sand like crystals are still present as they resemble undissolved dye particles(appear clear in colour) Shellac completely dissolved via hot bath 1hr with immidiately adding dye while still warm/tap water boiler temperature. Upon mixing with wooden chopstick felt the sand like crystals on the bottom. Placed jar back in hot bath with addition of boiling kettle water, hoping to dissolve mixture even further. Final result still grain like granules left on surface after dipping brush completely in the jar. Mixture appears still too translucent(tempted to add more) after approx 10-12gr of dye. 1pk Rit dye 32.5gr/$9. Could be the dye that is causing the grains or mixture should be hotter before adding dye... Any additional suggestions would be highly appreciated. Might try it with Art store prussian blue but more expensive 10gr/$9 from Kadmium Art at Ultimo. Quest of finding more cost effective dye options!

[@artisanmakes]

Sorry to hear this, this is very different to the results that I got. From my results the dye took a few hours to dissolve completely and got progressively darker. I too had the granules, which turned out to be undissolved dye, but they eventually dissolved, with few remaining. One possible solution could be to crush the dye granules into a finer powder in a pestle and mortar to help it all dissolve quicker, or simply apply two coats of the layout. If you do choose to go down the pigment route make sure that it is soluble in ethanol. I do recommend gentian violet as it seems to produce the darkest saturation that I have seen, but it is unfortunately expensive and not so easy to get. If you are disappointed in how the dye turned out and want that deep saturation then gentian violet may be they way to go over Prussian blue. Let me know how it turns out, cheers.

[@motorolaarsenarsenysergeye7401]

@@artisanmakes I will let you know with crushing the dye first method and to sift the already made solution through a filter first. Cheers.

[@motorolaarsenarsenysergeye7401]

@@artisanmakes Update, after sifting through nylon stocking no more sludge in the mix. It seems that the Rit dye dissolves via boiling water method(hot as possible but safe as possible) according to their instructions for optimal results. After crushing the dye and submersing it in methylated spirits it still formed a sludge. At this stage I would try to heat up the methylated spirits shellac mixture to a higher boiling point and see how it turns out, or to add the dye slower with more rigorous mixing and minimising the amount of dye added. Otherwise the final result now is close to perfect, sets fast and provides a solid surface for marking.

[@motorolaarsenarsenysergeye7401]

@@artisanmakes I used Rit dye jeans blue, that is the only difference. Going to try Royal blue next time.

[@wizrom3046]

Many fabric dyes contain salt crystals. Those are the little clear sand like particles that dont dissolve in alcohol. Better off using an alcohol based ink from the newsagent or art supplies store.

[@borecnakonec7734]

Nice work 👍 I think you are used too much shellac but I love your great idea

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers. It may be possible I used slightly too much but it seems to work really well for me. The ratio I used is still much lower than what is recommended for a French polish, this this ratio is still very low.

[@garagefaff]

Takes a minute to dry for a guy in Aus. So that will be about 3 weeks in Scotland then...

[@artisanmakes]

I probably can't complain. It is heading into our winter here, and that is probably nothing compared to the cold winters you get up there. Cheers

[@nullsnaggle5198]

Sweet cheese and bacon this is exactly what I needed(only I dont have shelack anywhere I live even in lowes😓)

[@artisanmakes]

Cheers. Shellac is also commonly sold as French polish, although the exact concentration of shellac to alcohol would be an unknown. Alternatively they can be sourced from the internet

[@nullsnaggle5198]

@@artisanmakes nice thank you my lad

[@mrman1536]

Try your local paint store "not automotive" .

[@nullsnaggle5198]

@@mrman1536 sadly the closest one of those is about 100+ miles away😌

[@pgsibilo]

Thank you for sharing. 1 question, Can Isopropyl Alcohol be substituted with Methylated Spirit?

[@artisanmakes]

I am quite sure that Isopropyl could be substituted, so as long as the dye you use is soluble in it. Cheers

[@pgsibilo]

@@artisanmakes Thank very much 👍👍👍

[@ThatOneOddGuy]

what is shellac made from is their any substitutes for it

[@andyl3361]

Shellac is the shell of a Lac beetle, yes I am serious. It has many uses but traditionally used as a finish on timber furniture.