I am in the process of finishing up with a bed room set, and need to start
finishing it. I have made a few test boards and am not happy with the
results of the stain. It is all hard maple, and this is my first time with
maple. It just looks bad, it doesn't bring out the grain , it hides it and
looks blotchy, sanding sealer helps with the blotchy a bit, but it's still
very monotone when it's done.

Any and all suggestions would be helpful, Thanks

G

"greg" wrote in message
...
I am in the process of finishing up with a bed room set, and need to start
finishing it. I have made a few test boards and am not happy with the
results of the stain. It is all hard maple, and this is my first time with
maple. It just looks bad, it doesn't bring out the grain , it hides it and
looks blotchy, sanding sealer helps with the blotchy a bit, but it's still
very monotone when it's done.

Any and all suggestions would be helpful, Thanks

G


You will get MUCH better results if you use a dye. Woodcraft sells
Transtint dyes that are alcohol/water soluble. You dilute the dye until
you get the darkness you want.

Pigment stains do not work well on maple!

--
Stoutman
www.garagewoodworks.com

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=1718

--
Stoutman
www.garagewoodworks.com

"Stoutman" .@. wrote in message
...

"greg" wrote in message
...
I am in the process of finishing up with a bed room set, and need to start
finishing it. I have made a few test boards and am not happy with the
results of the stain. It is all hard maple, and this is my first time with
maple. It just looks bad, it doesn't bring out the grain , it hides it and
looks blotchy, sanding sealer helps with the blotchy a bit, but it's still
very monotone when it's done.

Any and all suggestions would be helpful, Thanks

G


You will get MUCH better results if you use a dye. Woodcraft sells
Transtint dyes that are alcohol/water soluble. You dilute the dye until
you get the darkness you want.

Pigment stains do not work well on maple!

--
Stoutman
www.garagewoodworks.com

Ditto on the using of dyes on maple. I have some TransTint amber that I am
using on maple kitchen cabs. Warning....a little goes a long way.

todd

Hard Maple should only be sanded to 120. any more and the stain will be too
light. Also put the stain on with 0000 steal wool. Let stand on the wood
for a few minutes and wipe off with a rag. The softer you wipe the darker
the stain. This seems to work well for me.

Jim


"greg" wrote in message
...
I am in the process of finishing up with a bed room set, and need to start
finishing it. I have made a few test boards and am not happy with the
results of the stain. It is all hard maple, and this is my first time with
maple. It just looks bad, it doesn't bring out the grain , it hides it and
looks blotchy, sanding sealer helps with the blotchy a bit, but it's still
very monotone when it's done.

Any and all suggestions would be helpful, Thanks

G

"Twiget" wrote in message
m...
Hard Maple should only be sanded to 120. any more and the stain will be
too light.

Sanding to 120 grit leaves larger scratches in the surface of the wood. It
will look darker when you apply a pigment stain. Pigments are larger
molecules that will lodge in scratches. By sanding to 120 you will
accentuate any scratches in the wood (even those left by 120 grit paper).

If you use a dye (much smaller molecues) which penetrate into the pores of
the wood much easier, the grit that you sand to is much less of an issue. I
would NOT recommend using a pigment based stain for a dense wood like maple.

I sand maple to 220 and apply a 'dye'. I can take maple sanded to 220 as
dark as I want (even black).

Also put the stain on with 0000 steal wool. Let stand on the wood for a
few minutes and wipe off with a rag. The softer you wipe the darker the
stain. This seems to work well for me.

That seems very odd. Applying stain will steel wool?

--
Stoutman
www.garagewoodworks.com

Is it possible that the ECU is breaking down due to heat? Had very
simular problems with an older Ford 3.8. jesse

On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:22:33 GMT, Jesse wrote:

Is it possible that the ECU is breaking down due to heat? Had very
simular problems with an older Ford 3.8. jesse
Sorry fingers too fat. jesse

Try testing danish oil.


"greg" wrote in message
...
I am in the process of finishing up with a bed room set, and need to start
finishing it. I have made a few test boards and am not happy with the
results of the stain. It is all hard maple, and this is my first time with
maple. It just looks bad, it doesn't bring out the grain , it hides it and
looks blotchy, sanding sealer helps with the blotchy a bit, but it's still
very monotone when it's done.

Any and all suggestions would be helpful, Thanks

G

greg wrote:

I am in the process of finishing up with a bed room set, and need to start
finishing it. I have made a few test boards and am not happy with the
results of the stain. It is all hard maple, and this is my first time with
maple. It just looks bad, it doesn't bring out the grain , it hides it and
looks blotchy, sanding sealer helps with the blotchy a bit, but it's still
very monotone when it's done.

Any and all suggestions would be helpful, Thanks

G


I use Lacquer stains. I brush it on
like normal then wipe. After dry I use
my spray gun to darken where needed.
Thats the way we did it at the furniture
factory as a youngster. Maple and
cherry blotches real bad, so on large
surfaces such as a table tops, just
spray only. If you get it to dark just
wipe with lacquer thinner, let dry and
start over.

Good luck... Lee