Arts & Crafts Finish Without the Fumes

The Schmitts' favorite aniline dyes

Water-soluble anilines are easy to work with, and their lightfastness (resistance to fading) rates higher than other types. Although there are several brands, the Schmitts use only those of J.E. Moser, available from woodworking supply dealers, which makes more than a quart of stain with Michael's ratio. Listed below are the Moser aniline colors that give the perfect shades for their furniture, along with some of Michael's comments.

Light fumed. "For an even tone under the final color"

Medium fumed. "Used as above, but has a greenish cast to create richer browns."

Dark fumed. "As a final color over either of the above."

English brown. "Similar to, but richer in red and deeper in color, than Dark fumed."

Flemish brown. "A final color that duplicates Stickley's deepest tone, which he called dark fumed. It grabs onto the quartersawn oak's rays for breathtaking effects."

Flemish black. "A final-coat black with brown overtones. Not for the timid, so try it on scrap first."

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