What do you do when your Wood Stain Bottles dry up?

[TheVelvetBulldozer]

Hey everyone,

Not too long ago I posted about my Swamp Ash guitar body and how I was going to use Wudtone to finish it. It's going so well! I'll post some pictures of the final product. I'm on coat number 3 now. Can't wait for the gold highlights!

The thing is, I need to mix a bit of white and a bit of the TV Girl (yellow) finishes together in order to get the desired colour. For some reason my white bottle is getting dried up... My TV Girl bottle-- it's a freakin oasis! The white one is dry, or a bit seeps up at a time.

Maybe there's a way to fix it. All of you here seem to know of these great cool tricks that not even Google knows of. Like putting water on a dent and then putting an iron on it to raise the dent! Genius!

Is there any way you guys know of to "undry" it out? I put some water and it kind of worked, gave me a bit more mileage so I was able to do the 2nd and third coat, but I want to make sure there's enough for the final coat (4th). Don't want the finish to be too dark, so I don't just want to use the plain TV Girl. It doesn't matter what happens to the bottles after this, its the final coat, so if the undrying method requires me to use all of the white finish, or if the bottle gets destroyed, I'm ok with that!

Thanks so so so much! I'll make another thread about the Warmoth stain on maple neck failure soon enough...
:headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1: :headbang1:

 

[Rick]

Buy more.

 

[TheVelvetBulldozer]

Buy more.

Darn it, there's nothing else I can do, huh. Wudtone is pretty expensive, and I'm on my last coat... All I need is a bit more white stain to lighten up the TV Girl... one bottle... I'm on my last coat, just need a bit more!! Is there any way I can coax it out, it seems not to be fully dried out, but semi-dried, it's very viscous, but some drops do come out eventually. Can't I heat it up or something maybe with a blow drier? :laughing3:

If I really can't do anything, but get more, is there a substitute I can use, maybe something locally? All I need is too lighten up the main colour coat (Wudtone recommends 1/3 tv girl, 1/3 white).

 

[stratamania]

Firstly I do not know if Wudtone that has dried in the bottle can be resurrected for certain. However using water is the wrong way to go as Wudtone is some sort of oil based product.

As you are wanting to mix one with the other you could try mixing in some of the drier product into the one that is still wet. There is a chance that may work. Of course if it is too dry it may not work, in which case

Buy more.

 

[TheVelvetBulldozer]

Firstly I do not know if Wudtone that has dried in the bottle can be resurrected for certain. However using water is the wrong way to go as Wudtone is some sort of oil based product.

As you are wanting to mix one with the other you could try mixing in some of the drier product into the one that is still wet. There is a chance that may work. Of course if it is too dry it may not work, in which case

Buy more.

Thank you so much, both of you! If I need to buy more, can I buy another oil-based white stain that is more common to find locally? Something just to lighten up the TV Girl yellow I got. It's a quick fix, since I only need one more coat!

 

[Cowbell Fever!]

I have not used the product you reference, but if it it in fact an oil base you MIGHT have luck trying a hair of paint thinner to re-invigorate it. HOWEVER, best to test first. Usually when stuff drys out it is the solvent that has evaporated.

Danger, this may not work.

 

[stratamania]

Firstly I do not know if Wudtone that has dried in the bottle can be resurrected for certain. However using water is the wrong way to go as Wudtone is some sort of oil based product.

As you are wanting to mix one with the other you could try mixing in some of the drier product into the one that is still wet. There is a chance that may work. Of course if it is too dry it may not work, in which case

Buy more.

Thank you so much, both of you! If I need to buy more, can I buy another oil-based white stain that is more common to find locally? Something just to lighten up the TV Girl yellow I got. It's a quick fix, since I only need one more coat!

There is no way of knowing if one product would be compatible with the other. You could try but it may not work. Or contact Wudtone and ask them what sort of solvent such as white spirits can be used.

 

[Rick]

The wudtone people respond to emails.

 

[TheVelvetBulldozer]

The wudtone people respond to emails.

Yeah, it's been a couple of days I contacted Wudtone about the overly pale guitar neck (I'm going to make a thread about that soon) and the white stain for the guitar body being dried out. I asked him, and him because it's only one guy there, or at least one guy who responds to emails, whether the paint can be resurrected or if it can't, what can I substitute the white stain for?

In my experience over the last few months, Wudtone hasn't been all that quick to respond to emails... he either does a week later or doesn't get back at all. So much so that I had to call him (not going to do that again, he's in Wales, although he's a pleasure to speak to!). I totally understand, Wudtone is a tiny operation and they're super busy!

I like asking questions here because you guys have so many answers, so much wisdom, and seem willing to answer my questions.  :turtle:
I learn something new every time I go on here: Mixing a wet stain into a dry one can revive it, using paint thinner can revive it, since it is the solvent that dries up-- all things I never knew before! So I thank you all for your generosity, for sharing your wisdom.

 

[stratamania]

Here is another tip.

If you need to make an international call, use Skype with some credit as it is far cheaper than using a landline or mobile. If you make  international calls a relevant subscription from Skype can save you a huge amount of money.

 

[TheVelvetBulldozer]

Here is another tip.

If you need to make an international call, use Skype with some credit as it is far cheaper than using a landline or mobile. If you make  international calls a relevant subscription from Skype can save you a huge amount of money.

Never knew about this!! Thank you so much! In regards with Andy from Wudtone though, I don't think he normally accepts phone calls, I'm pretty sure it said only emails, so I was very fortunate that he even accepted my call!

 

[TheVelvetBulldozer]

Yesterday on my way back from home, by fluke I noticed a paint shop on my route that I never saw before!! Life's funny little games I guess. So I go in and I find something called "Solvent for Oil", and it said it contained Mineral Spirits. I didn't buy it because I thought I had Paint Thinner at home, but in the end I didn't.

Does this sound like something that *may* work to revive the white oil-based stain? I'll buy it because I don't think it hurts to try, I'm on my last coat, all I need is a bit more white to make sure the yellow isn't too concentrated (Dark). Or is this completely off and it's more worth it to find Paint Thinner?

Thanks like always!

 

[stratamania]

A mineral spirit based solvent would in all likelihood be worth a try.

 

[Cowbell Fever!]

Be aware that it isn't going to work miracles. It will help stretch it a bit further, but not like getting a new bottle/can of stain.

 

[TheVelvetBulldozer]

The mineral spirits saved the day!!!

WOW! Absolutely fantastic! It was good as new again, yes a bit "watery" (even though there was no water, but I digress), but all I needed was a bit more to lighten up the yellow. Thanks to your help, I was able to finish the colour coat of my swamp ash body. Its stunning! I will be sure to post the final product!

You're truly the best. And I know I've been sending this a lot, but dang nabbit, here it goes again!

:yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock:

 

[Cowbell Fever!]

I am glad it worked for you!!