Padouk - Will it take a dye?

[Watchie]

I have just acquired a Padouk/Ebony neck, and am toying with the idea of using some Behlen's blood red dye so as to better match the body it will be going on.  Anyone have any experience with using a dye on Padouk, or general thoughts about the concept?

Thanks in advance for any and all input.

 

[Cagey]

I've never done it, but I do know padauk changes color over time, so if you do get it to match now, it won't match later.

 

[Watchie]

Even with the dye on it, then a few coats of Tru Oil?  i would think the dye would create a significant level of color fastness.

 

[Cagey]

The color change is a reaction to UV light, not oxygen. So, unless it's opaque, a finish isn't going to help.

 

[Watchie]

Hmm.  But what about the dye?  That should leave at least some level of coloring, shouldn't it?

Either way, any down side in your opinion to applying the dye?

 

[Cagey]

My understanding is the wood will get brownish over time, rather than the nice shade of red you see on a fresh cut. The dye you put on there is going to blend with the underlying color, but it's not going to change. But, when the wood changes, the mix is going to as well. You'll probably end up with a browner shade of red, I would guess.

They do make UV protective finishes for a variety of outdoor uses, and some of them are clear and hard. I wrote some control software for a paint line many years ago that was used to coat the Lexan lenses many cars have now in place of sealed-beam headlamps. Keeps 'em from getting fogged and crazed. So, I know you can get what you need, if you want to spray a protective clear coat over your finish. But, I don't know what it's called or where to get it. I imagine Google would be your friend there.

But, in any event, I don't see any downside to dyeing the wood. It's not like the wood won't take it or something.

 

[Watchie]

Hmm.  Might just take a stab at it anyway and see how it all evolves. Behlen claims their dyes are UV resistant, so even if the Padauk turns a bit brown with the blood red dye in it the over all color shouldn't be too bad.

More experimenting...

BTW, not yet in love with the Master Gel.  It just doesn't seem to pop the grain like the Tru Oil does. Maybe with more coats.

 

[Watchie]

Interesting nugget I just found on the inter-web, so you know it has to be true:

An article in 'Wood' magazine early last year stated that padauk would turn a rather bland dark brown after a few months' exposure to UV light (sunlight). The way to prevent this and save the wonderful orange-red color is to treat it with a bit of Armor-all before sealing.

 

[Watchie]

Cagey:

Here's another thought.  If I fill the grain (Timbermate) and then apply the dye, wouldn't that add a bit of "hold" to the blood red tone/color even if the wood itself browns a bit over time?

???

 

[Cagey]

I don't know. But, I'm guessing if the wood filler is clear, then unless it's also a UV blocker the wood is going to change under it and you're going to see that through the filler. And the dye, of course.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

FWIW: This is a Padouk head with the tuners taken of approx 8 months after it being "fresh".

It's getting brownish real fast.

 

[Mor Paul]

Actually, I've seen that Armor All trick used on tru-oiled gunstocks, and that look great.

 

[line6man]

Why on earth would you want to put any sort of dye on Padouk?
That takes away all the natural beauty of the wood, and it will probably look like crap, and on top of that, the color will never stay, because Padouk changes color over time.

Padouk turns brown, let it do it's thing.

My understanding is the wood will get brownish over time, rather than the nice shade of red you see on a fresh cut.

Freshly cut Padouk is bright orange. It turns a nice deep red rather quickly, and especially when you give it a coat of some sort of oil. (Lemon oil, etc.) The change from red to brown is much slower, however.
When I got my Padouk neck from Warmoth, it was red. I have other things made of Padouk that started off orange, though.

 

[Cagey]

Good advice to the OP, but he's trying to match parts up. As we've both pointed out, it's unlikely any good can come of that.

As for the color change, thanks for the heads-up. I didn't realize it changed twice. I never hung onto anything I made with it long enough to learn that.

 

[line6man]

Good advice to the OP, but he's trying to match parts up. As we've both pointed out, it's unlikely any good can come of that.

As for the color change, thanks for the heads-up. I didn't realize it changed twice. I never hung onto anything I made with it long enough to learn that.

Orange as a carrot. (Or, perhaps, the creatures from that reality show. :dontknow

 

[Cagey]

I don't watch "reality" shows because they're against my laws, so the reference is lost on me. But, I can see that's a pretty dramatic difference. I don't care what kind of dye you put over that, it's never going to look the same later.

 

[line6man]

I don't watch "reality" shows because they're against my laws, so the reference is lost on me. But, I can see that's a pretty dramatic difference. I don't care what kind of dye you put over that, it's never going to look the same later.

I don't know much about the show either, but apparently the cast is always covered in an orange spray tan.

I'm not a fan of dyes on any kind of wood that isn't tan-colored, anyways. If it isn't Maple or Ash or something light, it has no business being dyed.
Nature decided that Padouk was going to be a wood that didn't need any fancy artificial coloring to look good!

 

[AutoBat]

I don't watch reality shows either, but I do know what it's going on about.

 

[Cagey]

I'm not a fan of dyes on any kind of wood that isn't tan-colored, anyways. If it isn't Maple or Ash or something light, it has no business being dyed.
Nature decided that Padouk was going to be a wood that didn't need any fancy artificial coloring to look good!

Yeah, I agree. if it ain't broke, don't fix it! <grin>

 

[ezas]

Even though I was told otherwise at a woodworking store a hard wood like padouk will not take dye very well. I spent about six hours with some unidentified rosewood, similar to Paduak in weight and feel and I wanted to bring some of the red out. I spent the better part of a day trying to get an alcohol die to work. If you go too dark the wood takes on this nasty green sheen. 'Flooding' it with a light mix worked some what but you would never know it unless you held it up to the original wood and you see it's a  bit redder. But no body would look at it think it was red. It also darkened the wood (duh) which didn't help the red.

Maybe you will have better luck but all I got was a kitchen that looked like I had tried to perform surgery on myself.