Easiest way to color shellac?

[mjr428]

Question... Can you use something like rit dyes to tint shellac? I'm looking for a quick and easy (inexpensive) way to tint shellac. Thanks in advance!

 

[DrASATele]

For trans colors...DNA and RIT Dye. You'll also need coffee filters, glass jars and gloves. Make a concentrate of sort running some DNA through the powdered color several times to beef it up, then thin the shellac with the tinted DNA.
Some say it will fade but I've done the yellow on 2 Tele's one alder one spruce and 3 years later no fade.

 

[Deneb]

I used shellac + ColorTone. Perfectly balance. If you're looking for an inexpensive dyes, then you need a dye which is soluble in alcohol. Test with an alcohol. And it will be all right.

 

[mjr428]

For trans colors...DNA and RIT Dye. You'll also need coffee filters, glass jars and gloves. Make a concentrate of sort running some DNA through the powdered color several times to beef it up, then thin the shellac with the tinted DNA.
Some say it will fade but I've done the yellow on 2 Tele's one alder one spruce and 3 years later no fade.

This sounds like a good option..
What would be a good ratio with DNA to shellac? Sorry if this is a dumb question...

 

[DrASATele]

Probably no more than 40%, over that then I think it's more like a wash then a coat.

 

[harold h]

You can use yellow rit dye with the pre-ambered Bullseye shellac and it makes
it less brown and a denser color.

Works great.

 

[mjr428]

Probably no more than 40%, over that then I think it's more like a wash then a coat.

So I'm assuming that you are mixing your own flakes...

 

[little_harry]

Question... Can you use something like rit dyes to tint shellac? I'm looking for a quick and easy (inexpensive) way to tint shellac. Thanks in advance!

I used white and yellow Mixol to tint the shellac on this guitar. The guitar is french polished with tinted shellac.

http://www.mixol.de

 

[DrASATele]

So I'm assuming that you are mixing your own flakes...

yes sir.... but if you're going to use the Zinsser product probably no more than say 25%, there's other chem in that stuff so thinning it way down might cause issues.

That looks pretty sweet Harry.

 

[ndcaster]

I used white and yellow Mixol to tint the shellac on this guitar. The guitar is french polished with tinted shellac.

http://www.mixol.de

View attachment 385529

Harry, I'm about to try exactly that technique myself and would love to hear your tips!

I've taken the liberty of using a Photoshop-type program (GIMP) to adjust the color settings of your photograph. does the image below reflect the real color more accurately?

 

[tvvoodoo]

i have used the fabric dyes - you have to filter out the salts though -coffee filters worked well.

My custom colours were L-R "Post-Binge Urine" "Evil Clown Red" and "Lung Disease Seepage"

 

[ndcaster]

i have used the fabric dyes - you have to filter out the salts though -coffee filters worked well.

My custom colours were L-R "Post-Binge Urine" "Evil Clown Red" and "Lung Disease Seepage"

hahaha

send those color titles to Fender

 

[DrASATele]

I found the #4 coffee filter, not the paper ones they sell in bulk, is better for filtering / creating dyes like this it holds the powdered dye much better than the other ones and it keeps out most of the junk from getting into your tinted DNA... which FYI is really good for direct staining. At some point I intend to work up a batch of DNA in the primary colors so I can just grab a jug, mix and go.

 

[mjr428]

i have used the fabric dyes - you have to filter out the salts though -coffee filters worked well.

My custom colours were L-R "Post-Binge Urine" "Evil Clown Red" and "Lung Disease Seepage"

Nice... So I have the liquid form of rit dye (because that was the only version with the color I wanted). Would I just run it through a coffee filter or should I thin it out with DNA through the coffee filter?

 

[trev333]

Prooftint spirit based dyes work ok with shellac....

I've even used some of my printer refill dyes to tint shellac or adjust the colour........

 

[Cat MacKinnon]

I don't like RIT dye for this sort of thing, mostly because it's no very lightfast (among other things). In fact, it kinda sucks for dying fabric too .

A better off-the-shelf solution would be something like Fiebing's Leather Dye. It's just an alcohol-based aniline dye, same as TransTint. Being alcohol-based, it should mix with shellac very well (you can also apply it directly to wood.) You can usually find some colors at shoe stores, craft/hobby stores and sometimes in WalMart's little leatherworking section in the craft aisle. If you've got a Tandy Leather or Leather Factory nearby, they generally carry the full line. It's also available on Amazon. Runs about $6 a bottle.

Universal tints (like Mixol) should work too. Those are available from Woodcraft and other woodworking places, and I've seen them at some art stores too, as well as Amazon. Again, not terribly expensive, a few bucks per bottle. Mixol tints work with almost everything, from shellac to lacquer to epoxy, etc.

Oh, if you go for the Fiebing's, don't get the one that says "Oil Dye": that's their regular dye that they've added added leather treatments to (neetsfoot oil IIRC.) Just get their regular Leather Dye. Angelus is another maker of aniline dyes. Both Angelus and Fiebing's are less than half the cost of TransTint/TransFast stuff.

 

[robt57]

My custom colours were L-R "Post-Binge Urine" "Evil Clown Red" and "Lung Disease Seepage"

Post-Binge Urine, I get. But the others look more like "Kicked Hard in the Nutz Red" and "Lung Butter Scotch".

 

[little_harry]

That looks pretty sweet Harry.

Thank you! I'm very satisfied with that guitar. Parts from USACG, roasted maple neck (no finish), ash body (tinted shellac). Glendale Cold Rolled Steel bridge with the "Intone Cutting Edge" Compensated Saddles. Callaham bakelite pickguard and hardware. And very nice a set of Green Onions from Don Mare.

Harry, I'm about to try exactly that technique myself and would love to hear your tips!

I've taken the liberty of using a Photoshop-type program (GIMP) to adjust the color settings of your photograph. does the image below reflect the real color more accurately?

View attachment 385687

Yes, it does. But with Mixol you can mix whatever you want. I mixed a lot of white and a dash of yellow. Remember that the Mixol is not transparent it will give you an opaque finish. I think it is a very cool effect.

Here are some of my tips if you are going the french polish with tinted shellac route:

• Take your time learn the technique. This guy has made a great course: http://theartoflutherie.com/french-polishing/
• If everything goes wrong it's very easy to remove everything with denatured alcohol.
• For grain filling use AquaCoat Clear Wood Grain Fill, it works perfect under the shellac. You can do grain filling with shellac, but it takes more time.
• The edges are the most difficult part to get even, specially with a opaque color. You should consider spraying the edges. I used a airbrush to do the most difficult part. Badger 250 - http://www.badgerairbrush.com/BADGER_250.asp
• If you spray, you can always use the frensh polish tequnic on top of the sprayed shellac to get it even.
• If you do wet-sanding use olive oile miksed with white spirit.
• To clean off the oil, use naptha. It works well.
• Shellac is fragile! I wanted a relic'ed look so i wanted it to look worn. You can easly make dents in the finish with a fingernail...
• If you want a stronger finish take a look at the "hard shellac" products: http://www.ubeaut.com.au/hardshell.htm http://www.lmii.com/products/finishing/finishes/u-beaut-hard-shellac
• If you want to polish the shellac, and don't do the spiriting off technique. These (link removed) works very well on shellac:

 

[ndcaster]

Thank you! I'm very satisfied with that guitar. Parts from USACG, roasted maple neck (no finish), ash body (tinted shellac). Glendale Cold Rolled Steel bridge with the "Intone Cutting Edge" Compensated Saddles. Callaham bakelite pickguard and hardware. And very nice a set of Green Onions from Don Mare.



Yes, it does. But with Mixol you can mix whatever you want. I mixed a lot of white and a dash of yellow. Remember that the Mixol is not transparent it will give you an opaque finish. I think it is a very cool effect.

Here are some of my tips if you are going the french polish with tinted shellac route:

• Take your time learn the technique. This guy has made a great course: http://theartoflutherie.com/french-polishing/
• If everything goes wrong it's very easy to remove everything with denatured alcohol.
• For grain filling use AquaCoat Clear Wood Grain Fill, it works perfect under the shellac. You can do grain filling with shellac, but it takes more time.
• The edges are the most difficult part to get even, specially with a opaque color. You should consider spraying the edges. I used a airbrush to do the most difficult part. Badger 250 - http://www.badgerairbrush.com/BADGER_250.asp
• If you spray, you can always use the frensh polish tequnic on top of the sprayed shellac to get it even.
• If you do wet-sanding use olive oile miksed with white spirit.
• To clean off the oil, use naptha. It works well.
• Shellac is fragile! I wanted a relic'ed look so i wanted it to look worn. You can easly make dents in the finish with a fingernail...
• If you want a stronger finish take a look at the "hard shellac" products: http://www.ubeaut.com.au/hardshell.htm http://www.lmii.com/products/finishing/finishes/u-beaut-hard-shellac
• If you want to polish the shellac, and don't do the spiriting off technique. These (link removed) works very well on shellac:

this is very close to what I'm after, though for pups I'm looking at Don's Hot BakeLites, i.e. 6.6k about with A3 magnets in the bridge -- pretty subtle difference compared to your A5's, but as this will go straight into a blackfaced Fender, I want the pups to be first-rate

did you use a pad for the shellac?

 

[Rick Markham]

Trans tint wood dyes are alcohol/water soluable and dissolve in shellac.