Easy Tru Oil Tinting

[fdesalvo]

Hey now, gang. Hope all’s well.

I’ve finished several maple necks using TO and have really enjoyed the process and outcome - not to mention that warm amber glow. 

I’m working on a new neck for the red guitar and decided on a one-piece Birdseye maple do-dad in standard thin @ 1-5/8”.  This time I’ve decided to tint the TO with a bit of Transtint Honey Amber and Vintage Maple.

As you may have surmised there is no way to successfully mix the Transtint dye into the TO. Most who have gone in dry this way have had to rely on beating the tint into microscopic beads through vigorous shaking within the solution before immediately applying. This can turn out great or it can leave you with uneven coloring. Ain’t got time for that!

I didn’t want to take the chance, so I experimented with a few chemicals I had on hand. Turns out acetone will allow the two to mix with ease. I experienced a perfect application with no splotching or streaking. The color matches my friend’s old Fullerton reissue and it looks fabulous. I went in hard and nailed the color with one pass; risky, but it worked out. I’m going to layer a few more coats of pure TO and will call it a day. Man, I love maple!

I hope to have some pics for you all soon and that this will help any of you who may be on the fence.

 

[BigSteve22]

...Turns out acetone will allow the two to mix with ease. I experienced a perfect application with no splotching or streaking....

Thanks for posting this, glad to hear that worked out so well for you! I've often though that there must be some way to mix oil finish and dye, just never tried for fear of screwing up. I take it the acetone just boils off quickly, but does it effect the TO drying time as well?

 

[fdesalvo]

...Turns out acetone will allow the two to mix with ease. I experienced a perfect application with no splotching or streaking....

Thanks for posting this, glad to hear that worked out so well for you! I've often though that there must be some way to mix oil finish and dye, just never tried for fear of screwing up. I take it the acetone just boils off quickly, but does it effect the TO drying time as well?

Hey, bub. I felt like the drying time didn’t change that much, despite the thinning effect the acetone had. The acetone flashed off pretty quickly. It doesn’t take much of that stuff to allow the two parties to mingle. 

 

[stratamania]

I did something similar when blending some oil paint to colour the Tru-Oil, but used White Spirit. I think you call it mineral spirit in the US and Canada. It also works as a useful thinner when applying tru-oil without colouring or tinting it.

 

[fdesalvo]

Update: accidentally hit the neck with a damp acetone rag - not naphtha - and it cut the finish. Ended up wiping down the whole neck, which lightened the finish and removed the layer of dye above the surface. After hitting it with some 4x0 steel wool I applied pure tru-oil. Wow what a cool mishap!  The grain and figuring are popping like never before.  I’m going to put on one more coat and will tan the neck in a UV bed to finish aging the color.

 

[Cagey]

I'm glad that worked out for you. Could have been more of a pain in the shorts to recover.

 

[fdesalvo]

I'm glad that worked out for you. Could have been more of a pain in the shorts to recover.
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Yah. Neck came out really nice!  Finished it to a satin sheen and it’s the slickest neck yet. The figuring really looks like it’s sitting above the wood. On my glossier attempts, the figuring has more chatoyance, but appears deeper.