Since I started getting heavy into turning, I had always admired the way some turners were able to stain their projects to get deep, rich color, without covering up the natural grain pattern of the wood.  I did some research and found the best thing to use is aniline wood dye, so I bought some.  Even though the videos made it look really easy, by early efforts all ended with hard lines between the colors.  Instead of getting a bowl that was green on the bottom, fading into  purple, then fading into blue on the top, I’d always end up with something that looked like a bad Easter egg colored by a 5 year old.  Hard lines, splotchy coverage, and nothing at all like what I had envisioned in my head.

Last Christmas, I got an airbrush for my daughter to use on her costuming projects.  After seeing a video on YouTube from a guy in England who was using an airbrush to apply the dye, I figured I’d give it another shot.  While I still have a LONG way to go to get the effect that I want, this is a pretty good freshman effort!  I love the way you can still see the woodgrain and natural spalting of the wood through the stain.

When Hobby Lobby opens, I’ll be heading in for more airbrush supplies…