Child-safe Tinted Stain

[handibunny]

Before I used shellac flakes for woodworking, I mixed them with 190 proof grain alcohol for a completely nontoxic finish for my sugar paste decorations. Shellac is also used in commercial food products, like chocolate, for a shiny finish, since the flakes themselves are nontoxic. I started using the flakes because I wanted the lighter color that super blonde flakes give. Now, we use the flakes for the color, cut, and freshness, using regular denatured alcohol, since wood has replaced sugar paste.

I had to go to Connecticut to get the grain alcohol, since it's illegal in NY. I was told it's used for punch, by college students. Never tried it, never will, since my tolerance is about a 1/2 glass of wine.

[kamara]

What colors are you looking to color the toys? I would absolutely recommend Wood dyes for coloring. They will absorb into the wood grain instead of laying on the surface like the pigment stains, and are much more durable. There are some fairly inexpensive dye kits that I have recently posted about with the result pictures, but for sealing I would agree with Mike, Carol and Bob, Bees wax or shellac; shellac probably being more durable. Water based resin varnish can peel off if worked on with teething incisors that are pushing through the gums, and I wouldn't trust polyurethanes just because of the ingredients.

I have also heard that about Minwax stains and a few other canned stains, but since I have found Water-Dyes I have never touched a can of smelly stains ever since, but that is the finish that I like, others have different opinions.

Good Luck,

Kam

[Steve_S]

I've read the "Once they cure (24 hours or so) they are safe." many places on the web. But when you send most all of them an email, the companies to confirm that, they all refuse and actually tell you to not use for anything coming in contact with food or children.

An exception seems to be the milk paint people. See this website page and go down to "Safety".
Real Milk Paint ® - Frequently Asked Questions
I haven't actually used their dye yet.

Bob - This keeps coming up and interpretations made. Could the magazine contact each of the major paint/dye/stain vendors and get their official position on it?

Steve.