ddisch0957

My story is still ongoing....
My skill set is somewhere between beginner and intermediate and I probably bit off more than I could handle with this project. I built a coffee table out of maple but my wife wanted a dark stain on it. The design of the table had every piece except the top curved into covex and concave shapes that were intended to flow together. The sides were made of 12 interlocking convex pieces that fit together. The legs were 16 separate curved pieces, 4 per corner. The point I'm making is that sanding for this project took months.

Attempt #1: I used Minwax pre-stain conditioner and as per instructions applied the conditioner and then the stain a couple of hours later. A blotchy mess! So, back to the sanding process to remove the stain.

Attempt #2: After consulting an employee at a woodworking store I next applied 3 coats of the pre-stain conditioner with plenty of drying time between. The result was a mirror finish that wouldn't take stain worth a darn. So, back to the sanding process to remove the stain.

Attempt #3: This time I applied the pre-stain conditioner and let it dry completely. The results were at least acceptable, even though not great. However, after applying the topcoats it became apparent that I didn't get the top of the table smooth at all. Lots of mark left from my belt sander.

Attempt #4: This is where I am at now. I removed the top and am getting ready to resand the surface. I am totally nervous that I won't be able to match the stain on the sides of the coffee table but I just don't think I can take another failure. If it doesn't match I'm probably going to burn it!

I would really love a nice Lie-Nelson plane. But more than that I would love to know how to correctly sharpen and use the darn thing!