# Staining Advice



## daveinvegas (Nov 6, 2011)

Lately I have been making and selling a small box.

I started using pine and finishing with spray-on minwax poly or black paint.

I've had requests for walnut stain. I hate staining wood. I figure if you want a walnut appearance, use walnut.

I'm not all that savvy about some things and staining is one of those things. I finally found out I need to condition soft wood such as pine prior to staining or you get a splotchy finish.

OK, so I use piece of left-over wood to test it. I condition the wood and apply stain. Wow, what a difference. Turned out nice. Applied the conditioner to a box and then stain. Stain looks like I didn't use the conditioner.

On another piece the inside of the lid and the bottom of the box turned out nice but the rest of the box looks like crap (can I say "crap" here?).

The stain turns out especially bad on the end grain. 

Any idea what is going on? 

Also, I paint the boxes with black paint. First I apply primer, then paint. When I apply the paint it seems to soak in on the end grain or areas that I have used a router. the end grain doesn't seem to accept the paint, it looks gray and I have to use several coats of paint to cover the primer.

What's up with that?

What if I used spray-on poly to "seal" the wood prior to painting?

Actually, I think I may abandon the pine in favor of walnut, teak, cherry, oak, etc., and only use tung oil for a finish. I can sell those for money anyway but I would still like to know what I may be doing wrong on the pine. 

Some of the boxes I only apply the poly finish. Those turn out ok. Maybe I should just refuse to use stain.


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## del schisler (Feb 2, 2006)

get this conditioner by charles neil and you will not use any thing else. I use it on my box's and i have around 500 so far . I make then out of all hard wood's i wont list them. I sell at the craft show. Use this and you will not belive it. Watch this video and see for your self. InTheWorkshop's Channel - YouTube


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## daveinvegas (Nov 6, 2011)

del schisler said:


> get this conditioner by charles neil and you will not use any thing else. I use it on my box's and i have around 500 so far . I make then out of all hard wood's i wont list them. I sell at the craft show. Use this and you will not belive it. Watch this video and see for your self. InTheWorkshop's Channel - YouTube


That's very nice. I will have to try it.

Thanks


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi 

I will 2nd that del, it's the best thing for the wood worker I have found, great stuff.
We all have a error with the finishing and most hate it but with Neil's conditioner you will love your work..and say I did it,,  and put your name on it...5 stars out of 5 stars on the conditioner..

If you buy some try it on some nasty plywood/MDF it will blow your mind..it's that good ...I spray it on everything..I also spray it on MDF when I'm going to paint it..

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del schisler said:


> get this conditioner by charles neil and you will not use any thing else. I use it on my box's and i have around 500 so far . I make then out of all hard wood's i wont list them. I sell at the craft show. Use this and you will not belive it. Watch this video and see for your self. InTheWorkshop's Channel - YouTube


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