Finishing and Refinishing

[Crosscut Tom]

After making numerous puzzles for both children and "Senior adults", I find that I would like an alternative to staining, and to very expensive wood dyes.  I have done some testing with Rit clothing dyes and find them to be satisfactory from a color stand point, BUT am I missing something, is there a safety concern, and would there be a problem using a spray clear finish??  Would appreciate enlightenment, as I have never seen any comments about this type of dye in various magazines.

[jandsjacobson99]

Nope, it's been done, and there shouldn't be any problems.  As long as you like the colors you're getting (or don't care too much), you're good to go!

[amateur60]

RIT will dye the wood, but there is no guarantee that the color will be light fast. That's not a major concern for the fabric application RIT is intended for.

[arabold2322762]

I've been using them for a long time. To get deeper penetration and faster drying mix them with alcohol instead of water.

[stevetaulbee]

Arabold,

How does drinking help?  Seriously, how about food coloring?  I'm making kid's toys and toying with the idea.  They should certainly be safe, plenty of choices available.  Does anyone have experience with this?

Happy Holidays.

Steve

[rbchamberlin]

I have just begun trying food colouring for kids toys.  There are two concerns for me.  My son, now 6'3"" and 34 years old, has allergies to food colouring so I would assume there are other kids out there with similar problems.  The other thing I have noticed is that the colours don't come true on various "white" woods.  I have recently tried to die maple red and it came out fuchsia. 

[rbchamberlin]

Some thing else that you might consider about RIT dyes.  The US department that tests materials, like dyes, says that any synthetic chemical will eventually start to decompose and as it does it leaves behind toxic waste of various types.  I assume RIT dyes would fall into that category as well.

[ca_appold]

I dye lots of items with food coloring or kool-aid packets without sugar.  As long as the wood you are dying doesn't have major differences in color before dying, they should be fairly consistent.  I make building blocks and toys from the scrap in my shop and almost everything gets a food coloring bath.  Remember not to skimp on the Food coloring to water ratio and that some colors take longer than others and your pieces aught to look great.  I then put the pieces into a vibration tumbler, that I made from a plastic bowl and an old finish sander, with some paraffin wax to finish them off.

[mcgtr]

yes on wood ever since i stopped making tie-dyed shirts!

never had a problem. don't use water based topcoats though.

[TXwoodrat]

Have any of you read the new testing guidelines for children's toys that the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) is trying to put into law next year?  According to them a toy made of wood is fine until it is altered by any finish.  They won't take your word for it that you use food coloring or Kool Aid.   They want you to have your products tested for possible lead or other contaminants, thanks China, and they don't care if you are a one person small workshop making only 10 of something to sell at a church bazaar aimed at children 12 and under.  This testing is very expensive.  If you aren't familiar with this CPSC law check their web site but you have to search for it.  They didn't exactly put it up front.  One thing going for us small shops, the commission doesn't have enough inspectors, maybe 6, to cover every craft show.  One other little point, all paints and finishes bought in this country don't contain lead, well yes they do according to the CPSC but they set the guidelines back in the 70's and have now set new standards as of Aug. 4 of this year.  Yes Virginia American made paints can contain lead, a very, very small amount according to the CPSC.