screwed up and aniline dye/epoxy question

[Aaron Coffee]

OK so I messed up and accidentily sanded through the epoxy and dye on my trim. Can I reapply dye to these areas? The first coat of epoxy cmae out really rough, any ideas on what the culprit might have been?

Thanks
Aaron

[Greg M]

If you use the same dye lot, and take your time prepping the area, you should be ok to re-dye the wood. Feather through the epoxy surrounding the dye-less area, without sanding through the dyed wood, and have some of the dye's solvent handy for pulling up any blotchy spots. It'll be tricky, but if you take your time it'll look fine.
Did you apply the epoxy while the temperature was still going up? If so you probably got air bubbles in the epoxy. Air in the grain of the wood can expand into the epoxy as the wood warms and make the surface quite rough. a light sand and a second coat of epoxy is usually enough to smooth things out.
Good Luck

-Greg

[dh]

Be carefull about the cooling wood though. I was epoxying some scraps in the evening after a 100+ degree day. Well, before the epoxy gelled dew started to form. Fortunately, it was just scraps.

[Juneaudave]

Is it rough like orange peel?

[doug hodder]

Depending on just how much you sanded and how the epoxy penetrated is what's gonna determine how you can hide it. I'd try mopping/blotting it on if it's a small spot with dye on a wet rag.

When you apply epoxy, the first coat may raise some grain. You also want to "tip" off every layer. To "tip" it off, once you roll it on, cut another epoxy type roller in 1/2 and then in 1/2 lengthwise. Clamp it in a spring clamp and back drag the epoxy while still wet all in one direction. This will take care of a lot of it and knock down the orange peel. Also...the wood is going to out gas and cause some bubbles in it. Once cured, lightly sand the first coat, with something fairly fine, just to give it a tooth for the next layers, then build up the others. Don't hit it with aggressive paper early on in the layers.

Prep work is the real key to a good smooth job. Doug