Chestnut White Dye

[Dave Fritz]

The white Chestnut dye seems very thin and doesn't seem to cover well compared to the green I've used. I'm wondering if anyone has found that to be the case as well or if I got a bad batch?

 

[William Rogers]

The white chestnut doesn’t cover well by itself. I think it is most useful to change the tint by lightening up the colors instead of a stand alone dye.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Strictly speaking, white isn't a color, but rather the sum of equal amounts of all spectral colors. In photography it would be equivalent to overexposing an image. With those thoughts in mind, white dye could be used where we want to lower contrast. I don't think it's quite strong enough to create the same effect as a pickling stain.

 

[Dave Fritz]

I'd used the white dye from alumilite and found it to be thick and opaque. Wonder what the different is chemically?

 

[Gary Beasley]

Probably a white pigment, not a dye. The usual compound for that task is titanium dioxide, found in most white house paints.

 

[Tom Gall]

The white Chestnut dye seems very thin and doesn't seem to cover well compared to the green I've used. I'm wondering if anyone has found that to be the case as well or if I got a bad batch?

I think most white dyes will give the same result. As William said - probably best for lightening other colors. I don't know what effect you are looking for, but a few times in the past I just diluted/thinned white acrylic paint and brushed it on - then wiped it off with a paper towel. Sort of gives a bleached wood effect.

 

[Dave Fritz]

Thanks for your replies. I could have used an acrylic or oil paint for complete opacity. Livin and learnin.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I have used artist's white acrylic paint (probably titanium dioxide) to fill the grain in wood that has large open pores (mostly red oak and ash). I rubbed it in with a paper towel and then use clean rags to wipe away everything that isn't filling pores. On ash I first paint the turning with gloss black rattle can lacquer followed by a gloss clear coat of lacquer. Rattle can lacquer is thin enough that it won't fill the open pores in ash. I allow a few days for the finish to harden before filling the grain with white pigment. After cleaning off the white haze finish with another gloss lacquer clear coat.

 

[Lars Hansen]

Bill, could you please share a photo of an item with that finish?

 

[Bill Boehme]

Bill, could you please share a photo of an item with that finish?

Lars, I don't have any pictures. The only piece that I still have is a little bowl, but it isn't ash so the grain filling isn't very pronounced. I'll see if I can find it and take a snapshot.

 

[john lucas]

White opaque airbrush paints work but may take several.coats if the wood is dark.