Aniline & Coal Tar Colors

¶ A Stain Color Palette. The water soluble aniline and coal tar stain colors from which practically any stain color on the market can be duplicated as to color are the following, used alone or intermixed with each other: black., brown, orange, red and yellow.

¶ Blacks, - nigrosine J and naphthalene,
Brown, - Bismarck, loutre, seal,
Brown Mahogany, - Orange and naphthalene black,
Reds, - Scarlet or carmosine,
Orange, - Orange Y and orange G,
Yellow, - Naphthalene yellow and auramine yellow.

¶ It is a good plan to make up concentrated stock solutions of these aniline colors by dissolving several ounces of dry color in its proper liquid and placing in tightly corked bottles or jugs. The gallon distilled water bottles are fine. Then when you want to mix a quart or gallon of stain of any color you can do it quickly by mixing two or more of these colors and thinning.

¶ Stock Colors in Water Solubles. The water soluble aniline and coal tar dye colors are counted by the hundreds but the following list, which is typical of the stocks carried by paint supply houses, is adequate for all practical needs, since they can be intermixed to produce hundreds of lighter and darker colors. Other colors can be supplied for special purposes. These are sold by the ounce and pound in dry form. The names are now practically standardized, although some manufacturers and jobbers add their own private brand names and numbers to them:

¶ Mahogany Fast Red - Orange Y,
Mahogany Fast Brown - Scarlet 2R B,
Walnut - Green M X crystals,
Bismarck Brown (red in color) - Methylene Blue 2 B,
Black Nigrosine J - Fuchine Magenta R. T.,
Yellow Acid H M - Violet 3 B P N.

¶ The mixing of these dry stains is best accomplished with boiling hot water. Very little stain powder is needed, from an ounce to several ounces to the gallon of water, depending upon how strong a stain is wanted, the kind of wood and the color being used. A typical formula :

¶ 1 to 2 ounces dry stain,
1 gallon hot water,
½ pint table vinegar to help the stain penetrate a greasy wood.

Next Page: Stain Preparations & Solutions.