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How can I dye metal cable different colors

 

I am a wildlife researcher studying coyotes and am in need of some help. We capture coyotes with "live snares" which secure the animals without injury. The problem I am having is that it is difficult to conceal the metal cable used for making snares. I need to dye this cable an earthtone color (brown, green, gold or yellow [to simulate dry grasses]). The cable used is 3/32" diameter galvanized aircraft cable. Please help!

Mike Ebinger
- Los Molinos, California

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For a good earth tone dye for snares, first simmer the snares in a baking soda [in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] solution. They will turn a dusty grey and this way they blend well with dry grass and especially sage brush. You can then simmer these treated snares in either a commercial trap dye or, for a rusty brown, use a solution made from boiled seed heads from a sumac. Be sure to put the seed heads in a couple of old panty hose or you will have vegetable matter on your snares. I have found that the more seed heads you use, the stronger the dye and the better it should work. Set the baking soda treated snares in the solution of sumac and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes. The longer they simmer, the darker they will get. Hope this helps.

Russel Rogers
- Aloha, Oregon

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Very interesting reply, Russel. Thanks!

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
April 12, 2009