Trouble staining Maple/Cherry? Use this!

[justin waldron]

I have tried many ways to stain Maple and Cherry to get a uniform finish, from shellac to seal and an oil base over that etc. etc.  My next step was to buy a turbine spray station, but before I did that I bought an HVLP spray gun from Woodcraft with a 1.4 mm tip.  This is the way to go!  This gun provides a uniform spray and coverage that is amazing! I used water based General Finishes Dye Stain and it's perfect, even on Maple plywood.  For around $30 it's well worth it!

[Gary roofner]

Are you using a turbine or compressor?

[ray vile]

 Justin,  do you have the item or part number so I can check it out, Thanks

[justin waldron]

Hey Doug,

I appreciate the reply, on figured Curly maple I do the same thing except I use a base of a darker stain, sand that coat off (still in the pores of the curl) and then topcoat with my stain and poly. You can see here in the Trestle Table I made.

Douglas Harwood said:

Justin,

On highly figured woods like tiger stripe maple or curly cherry, I raise the grain with a simple spray bottle of

water, can be sanded in several hours, then use aniline dye(powder form)and literally spray till dripping wet.

Wait about close to an hour, wipe off excess with a clean cloth diaper or old tee shirt, wait 24 hours, use my

BLO(boiled linseed oil)another 24 hours after removing excess, then on to 1 to 3 pound cut of shellac(up to

four coats)sanding with 320 between coats.  Finally using 4-0 steel wool dipped in a paste wax of your

choosing for the final rub out.  I always use a HVLP system(with turbine), a regular gun will be under too

much pressure(my experience).  Try using pecan aniline dye of figured cherry, looks two hundred years old.

It's an eye of the beholder thing after that.  You can make tiger maple look a foot deep.

Doug

P.S.  Ray, I think Rockler still has a good sale going on a good system, I forget the price, but it's not

that expensive and it will change the way you look at finish work.  Please use good ventilation, a respirator, and of course, no open flames.

[justin waldron]

Hey Ray, Hope you had a great holiday!  The model number is 149388.  It really does a great job!

ray vile said:

 Justin,  do you have the item or part number so I can check it out, Thanks

[Gary roofner]

Justin sorry I did not read your post well enough. You bought the gun first and then the turbine.  Doug I was wondering about the Rockler turbine. Do you have there system?  Justin you did not say which turbine you bought? It had been discussed in the past but most were high priced turbines. I can't afford a high  priced turbine.

Anyone own the Rockler?

[justin waldron]

Compressor Gary, NO turbine! Amazing huh?  Just set your compressor to somewhere between 40 and 50 p.s.i. and go at it!

Gary roofner said:

Are you using a turbine or compressor?

[Gary roofner]

Hey Justin I only have 2 gallon pancake is that enough capacity?

[Gary roofner]

What compressor are you using for hlvp gun?

justin waldron said:

Compressor Gary, NO turbine! Amazing huh?  Just set your compressor to somewhere between 40 and 50 p.s.i. and go at it!

Gary roofner said:

Are you using a turbine or compressor?

[justin waldron]

I'm using a 6 gallon pancake.  6 really isn't enough to keep spraying, I just wait when it kicks on and go again.  Mine is almost dead at this point, so my next investment is a new compressor.

[Gary roofner]

Thanks Justin for bring up the subject. I think I will go with the Rockler unit that Doug mentioned My compressor is only 2gal .