Greg Guarino wrote:
I'm trying to (reasonably) match a color. I'm using some powdered
dyes. I've made a couple of very small batches that are moving in the
right direction.

But...

These powders are very concentrated. A small amount more or less will
make a large difference. I doubt my ability to measure accurately
enough to scale up a "successful" test batch to make enough for the
whole project.

I figure I'll have to estimate a "formula" for the full batch, then
try it out repeatedly on scrap as I tweak it. When I think it's close
enough I'll apply it to the project. My question is, how big a batch
should I make? There's about 30 square feet of surface on my project.

I'm anticipating that someone will tell me I won't really know what
the color will look like until the test pieces dry. That brings up my
second question: How long will the dye solution be usable after it is
mixed? Hours? Weeks? Months?

Thanks in advance.

Greg Guarino
Hee hee! You think you won't know what the dyed pieces will look like
UNTIL they dry?? You won't have a CLUE what the final color will be,
once they dry. The wood will look funky when dry and only when you
apply a finish , will you know what color you'll get. You need to
practice on a piece of scrap to see what I'm talking about. Dyed wood is
not going to give you a "preview" like when you apply pigment stains.

As long as the dye doesn't start growing nasties, you can use it for
months. Don't forget to stir or shake it up if it's been sitting around
for a while.

Dave