Buggered It Up ...What is The Best Colour Finish for Toys

**Tahlee** · 12th May 2017, 06:10 PM

The Mum of Grandson #5 (8 months old) wanted an abacus type toy with sliding balls.

After quite a few hours work the the pine frame and 6 balls were complete.... "just use food dye for the finish ... it's safe" she said.

Well ... disaster followed ... the 6 wooden balls (45mm round) soaked up the food dye OK ... but when there is any moisture they bleed the dye .... and after washing, rubbing, waxing and polishing ... they still ooze die at the touch of any moisture.

I'm going to sand them back and try a new approach?

What do you guys recommend for colouring (red, blue and yellow) for wooden childrens' toys

Thanks

Rob

**crowie** · 12th May 2017, 07:29 PM

G'Day Rob, Check out "Ubeaut" for his dye products as I think they are a safe finish...Cheers, crowie

**Treecycle** · 12th May 2017, 09:01 PM

+1 for what Crowie recommended. Won't be as cheap as the food die but at least it will dry properly and then you can put a coating over it.

**truckjohn** · 12th May 2017, 09:59 PM

Put a coat of shellac over the beads after painting. That should lock in the dye.

**Tahlee** · 13th May 2017, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by truckjohn

Put a coat of shellac over the beads after painting. That should lock in the dye.

Hi TJ
I tried the shellac approach but the dye just coloured the shellac .... and bled through

Great minds .....

Rob

**Christos** · 13th May 2017, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by Tahlee

.....I tried the shellac approach but the dye just coloured the shellac .... and bled through...

That's interesting to hear why a food base dye would bleed through a shellac finish. A little off topic and one question that screams out to me how exactly is this food based dye made to caused it to bleed thought a shellac finish?

**TKO** · 13th May 2017, 08:26 PM

Hard to believe any thing would bleed through genuine shellac.

**Tahlee** · 13th May 2017, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by Christos

That's interesting to hear why a food base dye would bleed through a shellac finish. A little off topic and one question that screams out to me how exactly is this food based dye made to caused it to bleed thought a shellac finish?

I used Ubeaut hard shellac diluted to 50%. Applied with a fine bristle artist's brush. Whilst I was applying it the methylated spirit(?) bled the dye a little and the shellac coating became slightly tinted with the blue dye.

I later I dipped the block in warm water for a minute or so (trying to emulate a baby's spit while chewing on the block) and when I rubbed the block on a white cloth there was a dye transfer to the cloth.

Hope this explains the situation for you

Regards

Rob

**Christos** · 14th May 2017, 10:47 PM

I am guessing that this dye might not be fully cured and/or has somehow reacted to the Methylated spirit.

Can I ask what brand of food colour you used? I might try that in epoxy and see what happens.

**Tahlee** · 15th May 2017, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Christos

I am guessing that this dye might not be fully cured and/or has somehow reacted to the Methylated spirit.

Can I ask what brand of food colour you used? I might try that in epoxy and see what happens.

Hi Christos,

The dyes were Queen Brand Rainbow Food Colours (Colours with a U ... made in Australia)

I left them to dry for about 12 hours ... maybe that was not enough.

I have just posted on the finished product.

Regards

Rob

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