Updated Progress on Infusing Alkanet Root For Stain and Finish

[Snowmoon]

Hello guys, I have been soaking my alkanet root powder in turpentine and in Tried and True Varnish Oil for a couple of days. The stain was 1/2 cup in 12 oz of turpentine and seems to be coming along, looking like red wine in the jar and staining a paper towel pink.





The varnish (1/3 cup powder in 8 oz varnish), however, looks rather disappointingly purple, like a blueberry preserve. I have read that the color that an oil takes from alkanet root has to do with its pH. If I made a second batch, is there anything I can do to make Tried and True come out red? Maybe I need to use a different finish entirely if I want to add alkanet. Otherwise I am thinking of getting some fresh Tried and True and adding in some stains from LMF to get a red oil. Maybe the cherry and lancaster maple? Thanks!

The varnish:

[bluenoser]

I would test the Tried and True on some scrap wood.  It might be more red than you think.

[AZshot]

My root looks purple, but the tincture in mineral oil is redder, in linseed oil, even redder.  However, it's a very dark, purplish red  Remember Walnut is kind of red anyway, so you're just adding contrast to the grain, with some darkening from the oil, alkanet, and such.  See my test I did in another post.

[Snowmoon]

You fellows may be right. Just a couple days later it is looking redder than ever. I will probably let it sit until the kit comes without opening it more.

[smallpatch]

It needs to sit for several weeks for full saturation. Make sure you strain the stain through a coffee filter before use.
Never used it in finish …….. yet.

[Snowmoon]

It needs to sit for several weeks for full saturation. Make sure you strain the stain through a coffee filter before use.
Never used it in finish …….. yet.

Thank you, smallpatch. Patience from me 

[bobw]

I have alkanet in both BLO and turp.  Been mixed for years and just add to it as needed.  But there must be a chemical in some finish that will not react the same as these.  I mixed some alkanet in a new can Chambers oil and after a few months it had turned black and had an oder much different than the original oil and was totally unusable.
Bob

[Snowmoon]

Hello guys, I thought you might like an update. These infusions are both 15 days old.

Take a look at what the Turpentine stain (not strained yet) does to a paper towel just dipped into the jar:





And here is the tried and true after I turned the jar over and let it run back down to the bottom. There's some red for you! Note: I was a little worried about this jar having too much air, so I made up another batch in a smaller jar and used marbles to raise the air level to ~1/4 inch from the top. I'll use that "good" batch on the fowler and use this jar for experiments.