Can someone please post a link on

[saroj12]

I just use alcohol, too.

Thanks Matthew!

 

[jerseybella]

No water

 

[Laurie]

I have fifty lb of wood! Guess I should do a lb at a time or something. @calibird are you sure I don't need to add water to the dye and alcohol mixture?

Saroj, it depends on the % alcohol you have. I use 70% straight out of the bottle with my coloring. My coloring is liquid so it is adding a bit of water to it as well. I would say 50-60% alcohol is good. So if you are using 90% then you will need to dilute it with some water. If your mix is clouding up then you need to add some water.

Just do it a little at a time until you get the look you want.

 

[calibird]

I have fifty lb of wood! Guess I should do a lb at a time or something. @calibird are you sure I don't need to add water to the dye and alcohol mixture?

Sorry for just responding. You do not need to add any water.
These are the EXACT formulas that we use when mixing Vitacritter.

32oz of 70% Rubbing Alcohol mixed with the following amount:

1. Zazu Pink 1/4 Cup
2. Navidad Red 1/3 Cup
3. Crush Orange 1/4 Cup
4. Chico Yellow 1/4 Cup
5. Liberty Spring Green 1/3 Cup
6. Darby Green 1/4 Cup
7. Vida Teal 1/4 Cup
8. Romeo Blue 1/4 Cup
9. Sandy's Favorite Purple

 

[calibird]

how to dye wood? My AA search didn't lead anywhere. Thanks. Also how do you dry it?

I will show you pictures of my dye/drying rack by the end of the day.

 

[calibird]

how to dye wood? My AA search didn't lead anywhere. Thanks. Also how do you dry it?

Here are pictures of my dye rack. This is just to give you some ideas.

This is what my dye rack looks like. I put newspaper under the grid piece to collect the excess. I use colanders from a Dollar Store for beads and other smaller items.
Here are the links for a similar dye rack and exactly what the grid pieces are.
ClosetMaid 29 in. H Drawer Kit with 4 Wire Baskets-6201 - The Home Depot
23.75 in. x 47.75 in. White Egg Crate Styrene Lighting Panel (5-Pack)-LP2448EGG-5 - The Home Depot
I mix my dye in 2 Quart Pitchers. When I am done with a coloring I use a very small strainer and a funnel to pour back into the alcohol bottle for storage. The reason for the strainer is sometimes I end up with a bunch of saw dust and/or super small beads and this removes these items from the dye.

I have several customers that loved the grid idea so they just put a huge sheet of plastic down on the floor or the top of old table and then lay down a bunch of newspaper and put the grid pieces on top.
The items should dry within a couple of hours. I let my items dry overnight.
I sure hope this helps you or gives you some ideas.

 

[saroj12]

Thank you so much, Anne! You're a jewel for sharing your system in such great detail. This time we only ordered Zazu pink and light green and if we are successful we'll get other colors too!

 

[calibird]

Thank you so much, Anne! You're a jewel for sharing your system in such great detail. This time we only ordered Zazu pink and light green and if we are successful we'll get other colors too!

You are so welcome. California Bird Nerds honors color requests on most items that I dye. So you can always ask me just to dye items in certain colors.

 

[saroj12]

Saroj, it depends on the % alcohol you have. I use 70% straight out of the bottle with my coloring. My coloring is liquid so it is adding a bit of water to it as well. I would say 50-60% alcohol is good. So if you are using 90% then you will need to dilute it with some water. If your mix is clouding up then you need to add some water.

Just do it a little at a time until you get the look you want.

Thank you for sharing your expertise, Laurie!

 

[saroj12]

Last question....how long to soak the wood in dye? I think you guys have covered everything else. Is this a dumb question?

 

[calibird]

Last question....how long to soak the wood in dye? I think you guys have covered everything else. Is this a dumb question?

It isn't a dumb question at all. I hardly soak my wood at all. I pour the dye in the pitcher. I dump the wood in and then pull it out. I know some people soak the wood for a while.

 

[saroj12]

It isn't a dumb question at all. I hardly soak my wood at all. I pour the dye in the pitcher. I dump the wood in and then pull it out. I know some people soak the wood for a while.

thanks Ann! My alcohol is arriving friday so are the 3 qt measuring bowls (set of 4) from amazon. We'll get the plastic grid you linked us to on friday too. saturday is a sunny day! How do you catch the drips from the grids? Thick newspapers>

 

[Jan]

This is my coloring page on my site but most of my coloring is based on a larger scale of coloring. I use water if I color in volume but sometimes if I color a very small amount of wood then I'll use the rubbing alcohol.

This is image is of my drying rack outside, I had colored wooden hearts. Actually, my drying table is a 4' x 8' and I really need to build another one sometime as it gets full real quick. I have a smaller one as well.



This image below was where I colored a bunch of wood in green ...



And also in pink & purple ...



Then some other colors ...

 

[calibird]

thanks Ann! My alcohol is arriving friday so are the 3 qt measuring bowls (set of 4) from amazon. We'll get the plastic grid you linked us to on friday too. saturday is a sunny day! How do you catch the drips from the grids? Thick newspapers>

I use newspaper. Also, since it is humid where you are at it might take longer for the wood to dry.

 

[jerseybella]

Really? do you have multicolored hands? My nieces help me sometimes and once the 12 year old dumped an entire bowl of orange coloring on herself. That is what she gets for being goofy. It was pretty funny, but only once and only because we were outside!

I really don't wear gloves LOL. It comes of for the most part when I wash my hair.

 

[saroj12]

thanks @Jan! awesome pictures! very helpful!

 

[saroj12]

my one hand is zazu pink....hole in the glove! The girls had a great time! After this is approved by the birds, we'll get more colors, @calibird



thanks guys for helping!

 

[Jan]

Those look great Saroj ... except for the pink hand! LOL!

 

[calibird]

my one hand is zazu pink....hole in the glove! The girls had a great time! After this is approved by the birds, we'll get more colors, @calibird

You can find

my one hand is zazu pink....hole in the glove! The girls had a great time! After this is approved by the birds, we'll get more colors, @calibird
thanks guys for helping!

Bath and Body Works carries A Sugar Scrub. I am sure other places carry similar washes that work really well to get the dye off your hands. If I know I am going somewhere and don't want lots of questions about dyed hand I will double up on the gloves. Great job. You have officially been christened....dyed christened that is.

 

[KimKim]

Turned out great, maybe I should try it to!