Guys I don't want to be asking the same stuff but I need an answer.

I made veneers and stained them on the new bow. Looks great. Used the powder water soluble dye of Binghams.

My question is once final sanded and ready for clear if I want to stain the lams it's going to be a pain I get it. I have to tape of the riser, and use a q-tip so it only status the lams.

Water will raise the grain!! How do I do this or does nobody stain the sides of their limbs? Stain and sand without going through stain? Apply water to stand grain up, sand again then stain? Please help, I can't figure this out

Maple cores are light compared to dark veneers... What would you do?

I don't think that you can control the wicking of the stain well enough to do just the lams. It looks very nice with the maple as is.

I think it looks fine the way it is. Besides, I don't think you're going to be able to stain the lams without the dye bleeding into the other parts, at least a little.

I don't dye lams often, but when I do, I use alcohol based anilines. It doesn't raise the grain or warp them as bad as water based dyes do.

In the future, try to use neighboring riser parts that are darker than the dye color you intend to use, then bleeding isn't nearly as noticeable. Maybe you could have used black walnut lams on this one.

That's what I needed to know. It'll just be very different in color. You would think it's been done.

Brian, it's been done. I've done it, just not to the degree of difference in shades that you're considering. I didn't mean to completely discourage you from trying. Go for it if you want, just be careful.

I wouldn't use a Q-tip in the most critical areas. The hold too much dye and get fuzzy too soon. I'd use the very tip of the corner of a folded, tightly woven cotton cloth patch, like from an old t-shirt, for better control... dipped in dye then squeezed out so it's just damp, not wet. The wood will suck dye out of a wet applicator, not a damp one. Don't cross that glue line. Run your index finger along the edge of the bow as a guide, like scribing a pencil line, and creep up on that glue line as you work. Again, damp, not wet. That will keep you from getting into too much trouble. You can always go back over it again.

If you do it, don't expect the edge of the lams to get as dark as it appears under the glass. It won't darken as much because it's a different 'grain', a smoother sanded surface, and all dyes look even darker under glue and glass. You could try to mix a batch of dye a darker shade of the same color, but even then it usually doesn't turn out quite the same.

If a lam goes in between two pieces of wood, as it appears it might on the backside of your riser there, it's going to be even tougher. Watch you don't get any on those white overlays too.

I wonder now if there's some type of women's makeup applicator that would work for this?

Looks good as is, but your the one that has to be satisfied.

Thanks guys. Jeff I went with water base dye because that's what Bingham s sold. I had in my head I should use an alcohol or acetone- based so it wouldn't raise grain. Then I goofed up by mixing up too strong of a color. Live and learn, I should have put it on a test piece first.

Personally I like the contrast! Lance.

Brian, I don't like light limb cores. That's why I try to get a dark amberboo or walnut core for my limbs. I did ask for stained limb cores and have them turn out OK. One bowyer suggested air brushing that area. Good luck.

Ok that's an idea thank you

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here