Tru-Oil tinting suggestion

dnf777 · #1 06-09-2022, 05:16 PM

Hi,
Building a knotty-pine tele, and would like a clear and slightly darkened finish- something maybe a tad darker than a honey-brown.

Saw some vids using tru-oil, and decided to give it a try for the aesthetic and a few other reasons. (House wont smell like a nail salon)

After 5 coats, Im still seeing almost a bare wood tone. Should I be patient, and add more coats (planning on 10-14), or do I need to add some tint? Or, should I have stained to desired color in the beginning?

I tried a few drops of StewMac colortone stain (mixed in tru-oil) on a test scrap, and wasnt too happy. Then read it is NOT compatible with tung or linseed oils.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, and pics would be icing!

Dave

Fathand · #2 06-09-2022, 06:07 PM

Normally with Tru Oil I stain/dye the wood first but I did have some luck adding a few drops of dark brown Fiebing leather dye to a little Tru Oil, made it a little more golden.

Alternately you could put a coat of tinted shellac on it then more tru oil. Pine does darken with age/sunlight.

Best finishing advice I ever got, practice on scrap.

Sadie-f · #3 06-09-2022, 06:40 PM

Almost certainly would have done better applying stain before the oil finish. Once you apply oil, you can't get the stain into the grain because it's sealed. The problem with staining the finish is that the color will depend on thickness of application, which is relatively hard to control.

dnf777 · #4 06-09-2022, 07:14 PM

Can I put shellac over tru oil? What about an antique laquer?

Sadie-f · #5 06-09-2022, 08:17 PM

I expect you can, it's just not going to make getting even color any easier.

However, it's a solid body electric, there's enough material to sand back.

Alternately, try a test piece from where you are now.

Fathand · #6 06-10-2022, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnf777

Can I put shellac over tru oil? What about an antique laquer?

You can certainly put Tru Oil over shellac, I use it as a sealer coat under Tru Oil. Can't see why it wouldn't work the other way, then finish coat with Tru Oil but allow fow good drying between.

PineMarten · #7 06-10-2022, 04:46 AM

I did a green stained Tru-oil finish on an alder solid body that has held up well for about 10 years now. I started on the bare wood, wiped it down with a damp cloth and sanded back a couple of times to remove the raised grain, then used a water based dye before I started with the Tru-oil coats. Though I wonder if knotted pine would be more difficult to stain evenly with the more open and crazy grain.

dnf777 · #8 06-10-2022, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PineMarten

I did a green stained Tru-oil finish on an alder solid body that has held up well for about 10 years now. I started on the bare wood, wiped it down with a damp cloth and sanded back a couple of times to remove the raised grain, then used a water based dye before I started with the Tru-oil coats. Though I wonder if knotted pine would be more difficult to stain evenly with the more open and crazy grain.

Did you seal the grain first before the water-baded dye? Thanks

srick · #9 06-10-2022, 05:42 AM

Dave -

Pine can be tough because the wood surface is a combination of soft and hard areas that absorb stain differently (it's a rapid growth tree obviously). Sealing the surface with some shellac, then sanding, slows down the absorption of dye into the soft wood area and tends to even out the color. Then, think of your layers that you place on top of that essentially as tinted layers that will subdue the grain some more.

I'm pretty sure that shellac can be put over oil. Do some internet searching to see what comes up. And yes, definitely tint your shellac with a little colortone.

As has been mentioned, test pieces are invaluable, even though they are time consuming to fabricate.

Fun is!

Rick

dnf777 · #10 06-10-2022, 07:14 AM

thanks Rick. Yes, this is a large test piece in the shape of a telecaster!

(I do have many scraps of similar wood undergoing test finishes)

I KNEW I should have sprayed on some shellac to start with. I love the stuff, and it really does a nice job. Live and learn.

I'm just going to continue to lay on tru oil coats up to 12 or 14, and take what it gives me on this. Its a cheapy build, basically to have some fun, and clean out my scrap bins and old parts box. I've heard so much about tru oil, and thought this would be a good time to try it out beyond the neck.

thanks all....pics coming when done

srick · #11 06-10-2022, 07:21 AM

Dave - I am in the midst of restoring a 1930s Kay Kraft and am about to order some colortone tint (tobacco brown $29.10 bottle

) to color my shellac. I have been given the hint that Zinnser Spray on (available at the hardware store) is really convenient and fresh. I am going to spray a bunch into a small cup and start padding it on the patch.

I don't know if I have the guts to post the restoration project as there are a lot shots that can be taken - IOW, it's vintage - why did you scrape the bindings? Why did you scrape down all of that (ugly yellowed) finish on the headstock, etc.

Good luck to both of us!

Fathand · #12 06-10-2022, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srick

Dave - I am in the midst of restoring a 1930s Kay Kraft and am about to order some colortone tint (tobacco brown $29.10 bottle

) to color my shellac. I have been given the hint that Zinnser Spray on (available at the hardware store) is really convenient and fresh. I am going to spray a bunch into a small cup and start padding it on the patch.

I don't know if I have the guts to post the restoration project as there are a lot shots that can be taken - IOW, it's vintage - why did you scrape the bindings? Why did you scrape down all of that (ugly yellowed) finish on the headstock, etc.

Good luck to both of us!

Fiebings is $6 a bottle, comes in several several shades of brown and is alcohol based so it works perfectly with shellac which is also dissolved in alcohol. You could mix a little in with your cup of Zinsser aerosol or make up a 1lb cut from flakes and alcohol. Save yourself some money.

https://tandyleather.com/products/fi...93057d41&_ss=r

dnf777 · #13 06-10-2022, 08:12 AM

Yeah, I saw that colortone tint price. Wow! Even the Tru-Oil was $13 for an 8oz bottle!

I will vouch for the Zinnser shellac rattle-cans. Love them. For small time guys like me, it saves so much time and hassle that small batches create for a few applications. Ive used it off the shelf with no problems, but I typically set can in warm water and replace the nozzle with a nicer stewmac nozzle.

srick · #14 06-10-2022, 08:45 AM

IMG_2852.jpg

IMG_2850.jpg

I am trying to close and match the color of this 'soundport' with Colortone "Kalamazoo Mahogany".

Retirement gives you plenty of time to take on previously unthinkable projects. We guitar geeks are truly out of our minds.

R

PineMarten · #15 06-11-2022, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnf777

Did you seal the grain first before the water-baded dye? Thanks

IIRC I stained straight on the bare wood. That worked fine for Alder, though I guess it's finer textured and more even than pine.