Quartersawn white oak finish problem

[Matt Zach]

I am building cabinets out of quartersawn white oak and staining them using Watco Golden Oak Danish Oil. The wood I am using is 5/4 and about

2 yrs seasoned. I am not sure of the moisture content. I plane it to 3/4", then joint it and cut it just a hair oversize for each piece (where appropriate). Then I sand it down with 220 grit. I wipe down the board and apply the Watco stain, and rub it in fairly well. It looks OK while it is still wet, but about 10 minutes later, it starts to look 'foggy' and it blocks out a lot of the grain. I thought I might have gotten a bad can of stain, so I bought another, and it did it again. I steel wooled it and it seems a little better, but still if far from acceptable. I final coat it with Watco Clear lacquer, and it still seems like I'm missing something. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Matt

[Mike Hide]

whats wrong ? you are usinga pigmented stain . I would be better if you used an unpigmented stain . if you continue to use what you have try wiping the stain off when it is still wet ,that way you will leave the colorant in the wood and remove the pigment which is obscuring the grain.

Even so most pigmented stains will work as I suggested ,I have used M L Campbell stains with good results

-- mike hide

[Matt Zach]

[Andy Dingley]

You're slapping coloured goop over lovely timber, that's what.

You spent good money to get quartersawn oak - so use a finishing method that lets it shine through. IMHO, ammonia fuming is really the only way to go.

If you really _must_ paint it (for a stain in an oil/resin carrier is really little more than watery paint) then go with a dye stain, not a pigment stain. At least that way you'll preserve the relative porosity of the oak (a prime feature of quartersawn oak).

Fine Woodworking had a good article on staining oak for the "Craftsman" look a while ago. I still think it's a heathen process, but at least they worked the wrinkles out for you.

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

[joe]

[Mike Hide]

Most of us, bar the occasional purist, tend to splash various concoctions of colored goop on our projects, including myself.

There are many variations in stains, they go from the colored transparent stains to the opaque ones commonly known as paint . Most stains are designed to show the grain of the wood, some more than others .In any case it depends to a great degree how much stain one leaves on the wood and to a lesser degree on what the finish that goes over it is.

-- mike hide

[joe]

[Matt Zach]

[Dennis Slabaugh, Hobbyist Wood]

I have had good success (especially for lighter more contemporary finishes) on my mission pieces by using pigmented stains that have NOT BEEN STIRRED before application. The idea is that it goes on like a dye stain but with a minimal amount of pigment going into the grain for just the right amount of highlight. I usually finish with three or more coats of orange shellac and rub it out with brown wax.

The finish shown here :

done with Beher colonial stain and the typical three coats of orange shellac.

Happy Finishing,

Dennis Slabaugh, Hobbyist Woodworker

[Matt Zach]

[Thomas Satrom]