Re: Island lidded bowl complete - Pics

Re: Island lidded bowl complete - Pics

The blue dye is TransTint blue dye from Homestead Finishing Products, mixed in denatured alcohol. (Can also be mixed in water, but alcohol dries faster.) The key to getting the water look is to use a nice piece of Quilted Maple on which to apply it. For example, you may have read that dying Curly Maple can make the grain pop more, in much the same way an oil finish will. Quilted, Curly or any figured Maple (other woods too, but Maple is fairly abundant and the light coloring makes it respond well to dyes and/or oil finishes) will absorb coloring differently in the areas of the figure. Quilted works especially well for that water look because if you look at waves on the ocean (or lake, or puddle) you will notice that the reflections are not all straight lines, but a scattering of reflections across the surface. Curly Maple would have distinct lines. Quilted does not, so you get a look more fitting to water. It's not 100% perfect, but it is pretty darn good.

TransTint dyes are available from a large number of retailers. Woodcraft, Rockler, directly from Homestead and others.

Re: Island lidded bowl complete - Pics

Should mention there are other similar dyes that should work just as well. British turner, Nick Agar (think that's his name, first is definitely right), dyes a lot of work and has written several articles on it. I think he uses, if not personally makes, the Artisan dyes sold by Craft Supplies, one of the woodturning retailers that especially cater to pen turners.

Re: Island lidded bowl complete - Pics

Nick uses ChromaCraft dyes.