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I came across an article in Issue 164 by Jeff Jewitt where he described that he learned a technique from Rob Millard of adding Transtint (and other) dye to linseed oil to create an oil based dye. Holy cow. You can use Trantint in water, DNA, lacquer thinner, and oil, too? I ran down to the shop to try it out. Well, the Transtint didn't mix all that uniformly in the linseed oil I had, albeit it's 20 years old. Some of it mixed in, but some of it formed feathery globs that sank to the bottom. Oh, not so good. But then I remembered another trick I learned from Jeff Jewitt. I first added the Transtint to a couple of ml's of lacquer thinner and then added that to the linseed oil. Presto, a perfect mix. I put some on a piece of walnut and it added a beautifully uniform tint to it.
Thanks Rob for the great idea. It only took me 12 years to find it.
John
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Thanks John - and Rob - this is going in my notebook! Regarding the old FWW mags: I bought the first 36 issues about a year ago on ebay. What a great resource they have been.
Lonnie
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Rob has lots of good tips that I have been trying over the years. Check out his you tube videos on brushing shellac and then rubbing it out.
Also tried his tip on using orange dye to warm up walnut. Used it on a walnut blanket chest and dressing table and love the effect.
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You did indicate a small quantity of lacquer thinner, so read my comments in that vein.
It doesn't sit too well with me to be mixing lacquer thinner with linseed oil. I am far more comfortable with paint thinner in that context. Turpentine would be the same way as well. Lacquer thinner is somewhat hot. In small amounts, I'm sure you're okay, but I'd keep it down; less is more.
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Never tried Turpentine, but Transtint is not soluble in mineral spirits so that's why I used lacquer thinner. I'll have to give Turpentine a try. Thanks.
John
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Don't.
I think you've got it right.