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finish label question

Joined
Sep 27, 2017
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Windsor, Pennsylvania
I am already working on some gifts for the holidays. Most will be turned, but some will be painted, or finished in other ways. A friend makes wine. I have already made several small wine bottle shapes from wood suitable for tree ornaments. I can print miniature bottle labels with his family name. I plan to use dark green analine dye to color the bass wood dark green. Then I want to attach the miniature labels, finish and I even have a small amount of gold foil for the tops of the bottles and then small eye hooks for hanging. I read that some turners label their items with a paper label that is varnished over top to the piece. do they use a wood varnish? decoupage varnish? shellac? What is the process they use for the paper labels?
 
Watch out for compatibility (not incompatibility!) of the various items you'll be finishing with. Compatible finishes will dissolve-and-muddy the waters.

Modge podge (I think that's a brand name) is a water-based decoupage glue and sealer that works well with paper crafts. If you use a non-water based ink to print your labels (laser printed, for example), the modge podge will stick the paper and coat the item; it should not cause your (non-water based ink) to run. That said, aniline dyes have some solubility in water, so you'll want to seal the dye into the wood before exposing to the water-based modge podge adhesive. (If you feel like experimenting, you can dilute Elmer's glue with water as a substitute for modge podge).

So, I would suggest (try this on a flat board just for practice):

  1. Dye board
  2. Seal with thin shellac; let dry thoroughly
  3. Coat with modge podge, apply label on one part of the board; foil somewhere else. Let dry.
  4. Coat with modge podge, let dry. Repeat a few times.
  5. Spray with clear acrylic finish if desired
The process I've described is similar to what pen turners do to make postage stamp blanks, except the postage stamp blanks are finished by casting in resin after step 5.
 
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