Some "stains" are actually dyes and stains. If you don't mix them the stain
goes to the bottom and you only get the dye. Apparently you like it that
way.

Dyes are available at woodworking shops.

If you hadn't referred to "water" later on I would have suggested that
perhaps you liked the effect of the oil base. Oil will significantly change
the appearance of some woods.

Matt in Fenton wrote in message
...

I bought some stain today and was trying it out on a piece of pine. I
didn't thoroughly mix the can because I was in a hurry and just wanted
to see what the color looked like, so I opened the can and wiped some
on.

I let it sit for less than a minute and wiped it off. Needless to say
it was MUCH lighter version than what was pictured on the can. But the
thing is I really liked the effect of this vs. a rich stained color.
It was more like tinting the wood instead of staining it (which serves
to color the wood).

I tried a google search on wood tints, but only came up with wood
stain. (How to tint wood didn't lend itself to anything either)

Is there a product out there that tints a wood instead of actually
staining it?

And if not can I thin the water based stains with water in order to
get the same effect (after they have been thoroughly mixed)?

It's rare that NOT doing things right let's you stumble on to
something good. This is one of those occasions.

Thanks,

matt

I bought some stain today and was trying it out on a piece of pine. I
didn't thoroughly mix the can because I was in a hurry and just wanted
to see what the color looked like, so I opened the can and wiped some
on.

I let it sit for less than a minute and wiped it off. Needless to say
it was MUCH lighter version than what was pictured on the can. But the
thing is I really liked the effect of this vs. a rich stained color.
It was more like tinting the wood instead of staining it (which serves
to color the wood).

I tried a google search on wood tints, but only came up with wood
stain. (How to tint wood didn't lend itself to anything either)

Is there a product out there that tints a wood instead of actually
staining it?

And if not can I thin the water based stains with water in order to
get the same effect (after they have been thoroughly mixed)?

It's rare that NOT doing things right let's you stumble on to
something good. This is one of those occasions.

Thanks,

matt

You can get a lighter color by not having much on the cloth and then
removing it immediately, but it is darn hard to get a consistant color that
way. Much better to buy the right color.

If it were an oil stain you could just dilute it with oil. I don't know
about water based stains, as I have never used them.

Matt in Fenton wrote in message
...
A thought about thinning:

I'll try this tomorrow, but it might be possible to achieve the same
effect that I'm looking for by simply wiping on and then immediately
wiping off. Doing this after the can has been thoroughly mixed.

This may come down to a "timing" thing instead of buying a different
product in order to achieve this different result.

Oh, I should add after rereading my initial message that it sounds as
if I thought you can use stain immediately from the can, that isn't
true, I usually stir with a paint stick.

On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 03:02:07 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

Some "stains" are actually dyes and stains. If you don't mix them the
stain
goes to the bottom and you only get the dye. Apparently you like it that
way.

Dyes are available at woodworking shops.

If you hadn't referred to "water" later on I would have suggested that
perhaps you liked the effect of the oil base. Oil will significantly
change
the appearance of some woods.

Matt in Fenton wrote in message
. ..

I bought some stain today and was trying it out on a piece of pine. I
didn't thoroughly mix the can because I was in a hurry and just wanted
to see what the color looked like, so I opened the can and wiped some
on.

I let it sit for less than a minute and wiped it off. Needless to say
it was MUCH lighter version than what was pictured on the can. But the
thing is I really liked the effect of this vs. a rich stained color.
It was more like tinting the wood instead of staining it (which serves
to color the wood).

I tried a google search on wood tints, but only came up with wood
stain. (How to tint wood didn't lend itself to anything either)

Is there a product out there that tints a wood instead of actually
staining it?

And if not can I thin the water based stains with water in order to
get the same effect (after they have been thoroughly mixed)?

It's rare that NOT doing things right let's you stumble on to
something good. This is one of those occasions.

Thanks,

matt

A thought about thinning:

I'll try this tomorrow, but it might be possible to achieve the same
effect that I'm looking for by simply wiping on and then immediately
wiping off. Doing this after the can has been thoroughly mixed.

This may come down to a "timing" thing instead of buying a different
product in order to achieve this different result.

Oh, I should add after rereading my initial message that it sounds as
if I thought you can use stain immediately from the can, that isn't
true, I usually stir with a paint stick.

On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 03:02:07 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

Some "stains" are actually dyes and stains. If you don't mix them the stain
goes to the bottom and you only get the dye. Apparently you like it that
way.

Dyes are available at woodworking shops.

If you hadn't referred to "water" later on I would have suggested that
perhaps you liked the effect of the oil base. Oil will significantly change
the appearance of some woods.

Matt in Fenton wrote in message
.. .

I bought some stain today and was trying it out on a piece of pine. I
didn't thoroughly mix the can because I was in a hurry and just wanted
to see what the color looked like, so I opened the can and wiped some
on.

I let it sit for less than a minute and wiped it off. Needless to say
it was MUCH lighter version than what was pictured on the can. But the
thing is I really liked the effect of this vs. a rich stained color.
It was more like tinting the wood instead of staining it (which serves
to color the wood).

I tried a google search on wood tints, but only came up with wood
stain. (How to tint wood didn't lend itself to anything either)

Is there a product out there that tints a wood instead of actually
staining it?

And if not can I thin the water based stains with water in order to
get the same effect (after they have been thoroughly mixed)?

It's rare that NOT doing things right let's you stumble on to
something good. This is one of those occasions.

Thanks,

matt

On Sun, 25 Mar 2007 22:28:23 -0500, Matt in Fenton wrote:


I bought some stain today and was trying it out on a piece of pine. I
didn't thoroughly mix the can because I was in a hurry and just wanted
to see what the color looked like, so I opened the can and wiped some
on.

I let it sit for less than a minute and wiped it off. Needless to say
it was MUCH lighter version than what was pictured on the can. But the
thing is I really liked the effect of this vs. a rich stained color.
It was more like tinting the wood instead of staining it (which serves
to color the wood).

I tried a google search on wood tints, but only came up with wood
stain. (How to tint wood didn't lend itself to anything either)

Is there a product out there that tints a wood instead of actually
staining it?

And if not can I thin the water based stains with water in order to
get the same effect (after they have been thoroughly mixed)?

It's rare that NOT doing things right let's you stumble on to
something good. This is one of those occasions.

Thanks,

matt


You can get a lighter stain using a gel stain and/or wood conditioner
(on softwoods). Wiping off the stain quickly will also work.

Slow down a little:

1) Mix the stain - a lot of the pigment sits on the bottom of the can.

2) Read the label and let the stain sit as long as it says. Less than a
minute is barely a good start.

With that said, pine in known for blotching and some parts may not be taking
the stain. Wipe you wood with mineral spirits or a pre-stain conditioner.
Also, is you final project made from pine? If so, ok. If not, test with a
piece of project wood.

Also, with some woods, wiping the product on with a well-soaked cloth is the
best way to apply.

RonB

Matt in Fenton wrote in message
...

I bought some stain today and was trying it out on a piece of pine. I
didn't thoroughly mix the can because I was in a hurry and just wanted
to see what the color looked like, so I opened the can and wiped some
on.

I let it sit for less than a minute and wiped it off. Needless to say
it was MUCH lighter version than what was pictured on the can. But the
thing is I really liked the effect of this vs. a rich stained color.
It was more like tinting the wood instead of staining it (which serves
to color the wood).

I tried a google search on wood tints, but only came up with wood
stain. (How to tint wood didn't lend itself to anything either)

Is there a product out there that tints a wood instead of actually
staining it?

And if not can I thin the water based stains with water in order to
get the same effect (after they have been thoroughly mixed)?

It's rare that NOT doing things right let's you stumble on to
something good. This is one of those occasions.

Thanks,

matt

Dyes are often used in finishing....

http://www.woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FU...ARTNUM=843-924



Matt in Fenton wrote:

I bought some stain today and was trying it out on a piece of pine. I
didn't thoroughly mix the can because I was in a hurry and just wanted
to see what the color looked like, so I opened the can and wiped some
on.

I let it sit for less than a minute and wiped it off. Needless to say
it was MUCH lighter version than what was pictured on the can. But the
thing is I really liked the effect of this vs. a rich stained color.
It was more like tinting the wood instead of staining it (which serves
to color the wood).

www.homesteadfinishing.com designed TransTint dyes that mix with a
number of liquids, including water and water/X mix that let grain
show. Widely popular!

On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 04:33:28 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

If it were an oil stain you could just dilute it with oil. I don't know
about water based stains, as I have never used them.

Matt in Fenton wrote:

Is there a product out there that tints a wood instead of actually
staining it?

Use a dye. Woodcraft carries them if there's one nearby and they're available
from many places online. I haven't used a stain since I discovered dyes.

--
It's turtles, all the way down

In article ,
Matt in Fenton wrote:

I bought some stain today and was trying it out on a piece of pine. I
didn't thoroughly mix the can because I was in a hurry and just wanted
to see what the color looked like, so I opened the can and wiped some
on.

I let it sit for less than a minute and wiped it off. Needless to say
it was MUCH lighter version than what was pictured on the can. But the
thing is I really liked the effect of this vs. a rich stained color.
It was more like tinting the wood instead of staining it (which serves
to color the wood).

I tried a google search on wood tints, but only came up with wood
stain. (How to tint wood didn't lend itself to anything either)

Is there a product out there that tints a wood instead of actually
staining it?

And if not can I thin the water based stains with water in order to
get the same effect (after they have been thoroughly mixed)?

It's rare that NOT doing things right let's you stumble on to
something good. This is one of those occasions.

Thanks,

matt

Sure, there are many different ways to tint, color, or stain wood.
2 main categories are pigment stains or dye stains. The pigment
statins have finely ground solids that lodge in the pores or surface
imperfections of the wood. Dye stains are actually absorbed into the
wood fibers, usually giving a less pronounced contrast to the light
and dark grain areas. Some stains use both pigments and dyes. Another
difference is the type of vehicle or solvent used; Oil based, water, or
alcohol. Pigment stains always need some type of binder, to keep
the pigment in place. Minwax stains, for instance, use a drying oil
in their common yellow can stains.

If you like the effect of the stain without shaking and mixing the pigment
into it, it is very likely you can find a product that duplicates that
effect, perhaps even exceeds it in appearance. If it is one of the
bigger manufacturers, or even a small one, you could try calling,
writing, or emailing them, they may be able to recommend another
product that is designed for the effect you want. One that I like
to use in the Minwax "Golden Pecan" shade of their regular oil-based
"yellow can" product line. Unlike most of this line, it contains only
dye, no pigment and just gives a slightly darker tint to most light
woods with some enhancement of the grain pattern. Sometimes just
an application of BLO or tung oil will do the same.


--
There is always an easy solution to every human problem -- neat,
plausible, and wrong." (H L Mencken)

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar. org