I’m making a cherry and maple jewlery box and I’m finding blotching.
I stained the maple with a water based stain. the cherry left as is.
I sanded to 220 grit and applied a coat of tung oil to pop the grain. I’m planning on finishing up with a few coats of shellac!
Is there any way to control the blotching? I understand that both of these woods have a tendency to blotch! any advise would be appreciated!
Thanks Chaim
Make your own mistakes not someone elses, this is a good way to be original !
Replies
Cherry is very blotch prone, but maple (usually) isn't. Since you're not staining the cherry, I would suggest going right to shellac with that--you may be surprised at how well it brings out the grain just by itself.
In general, to control blotching you need to take measures to reduce the absorption of the dye/stain before you do the dyeing/staining. These measures can include: Sanding to a very fine grit (e.g., 320), or applying a light finish (e.g., the tung oil) first, before applying the stain.
Practice on a test piece first!
-Steve
Thanks I'll try that.
ChaimMake your own mistakes not someone elses, this is a good way to be original !
Steve,
Why not use a dewaxed shellac (Zinseers Seal Cote) first to seal the wood? I've had great success preventing the blotchies with it.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Shellac works, too, but it's more "impenetrable" than tung oil, so it might seal the wood too much for what the OP is looking for.
-Steve
Chaim,
Next time try a gel stain, either by General Finishes or Bartley. Both make good products and their gel stains go on very evenly, even on blotch-prone woods.
Lee
Thankyou for your addvise
ChaimMake your own mistakes not someone elses, this is a good way to be original !
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