# behlen's solar-lux



## chsdiyer (Dec 12, 2011)

I just bought some american walnut and medium brown walnut to try for the first time. I applied each one on a couple of pieces of walnut and it left the finish result being very red. Both left a red tone, but one (i forget which) was very red. Did i get a bad batch, or am i missing something in my expecation of this product? One bottle I think was already opened. So i'm not sure if this could have been a bad return.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Did you thin it with alcohol or use it right out of the bottle?


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## chsdiyer (Dec 12, 2011)

I used it right out of the bottle :/


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

That is a concentrated product. Add a little bit to some denatured alcohol (Maybe 10 parts alcohol to 1 part stain) and try again. It may still be too red, if so you will need to get some green dye and add a little to tone down the red.


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## chsdiyer (Dec 12, 2011)

great, thanks...i'll give that a shot. So it could be normal for the walnut colored dye to actually come out red? interesting.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Here is a link to an online color chart. I remember the American Walnut to be a little bit of a greenish brown like a raw umber but it has been many years since I have used that product. I find most dyes to be a bit on the red side so when doing my own work I seal with a washcoat of sealer and then wipe with a gilsonite oil stain (Sherwin Williams makes one in their S64 series). Gilsonite has a greenish cast and takes out some of the red as well as enhancing the figure without muddying anything like a pigment would.


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## chsdiyer (Dec 12, 2011)

interesting...thanks for the info! That may be beyond me right now:blink::yes: . I think for my project i like the result of the danish oil dark walnut finish, I just didn't want to have to wait 3 days before top coating. was hoping the dye would be a better alternative. My samples look more like the "blood red" on that chart.


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Don't mean to hijack but I'm going through a similar problem with the same line right now. I'm applying their Golden Fruitwood dye stain directly to soft maple which has had conditioner applied. It's extremely light in color and extremely red in color... nothing like the sample piece in the store which was maple as well. 

I understand I can cut it with DNA or Behlen's reducer to get rid of the red, but what about the depth of color? At this rate I'd be looking at 15+ coats to achieve the color I'm looking for. Can I mix it with a normal wiping stain to achieve the color I'm looking for or do I have to stay dye based and just go darker and mix them?

Thanks!


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Alcohol based NGR stains are designed to be sprayed on, not wiped. If I was staining soft maple I wouldn't use a conditioner, I would just spray the dye stain directly on the wood but not heavy enough to allow it to puddle and cause blotching. It dries very fast since it is alcohol base so you can apply as many coats as needed without worrying about adhesion issues like you do with a wiping stain. 

For more depth of color you can apply the dye then a washcoat of sealer and then wipe on an oil stain or you can mix the dye in with a little sealer and make a toner as well. (Or you can do all three)

Just make sure to practice on scrap until you figure out what you like. :yes:


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## Taylormade (Feb 3, 2011)

Thanks, Rick, I can certainly spray it on, that's not an issue. I'll test it out and report back my findings.


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