Replies

1. 
   RalphBarker | Sep 10, 2008 07:28pm | #1

   Cherry-related, but potentially helpful:

   http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesPDF.aspx?id=31063

1. 
   haliaka | Sep 11, 2008 03:12am | #3

   Thanks for the info Ralph. I do see this article in the Finewoodworking magazine but wanted to find a article for  maple only. Still looking.

   Thanks Ralph

   Bob

   [email protected]

1. 
   Cataline | Sep 12, 2008 06:43am | #4

   You might look into gel stains, General Finish makes a great one.

1. 
   haliaka | Sep 12, 2008 09:03am | #5

   Can you recommend any written info about staining maple that I can give to my friend who will be staining his maple cabinets and stairs.

   Thanks

   Bob

1. 
   nboucher | Sep 13, 2008 12:01am | #6

   I second the advice about using dyes over stain for maple. Avoiding blotching is tough, though. The dye should allow him to sand out what blotchiness your friend doesn't like and the rest he can just call curl.Norman

2. 
   haliaka | Sep 13, 2008 01:58am | #7

   Thanks Norm;

     Do you know of any article or book that would have this advise?

   Thanks

   Bob

3. 
   SteveSchoene | Sep 13, 2008 05:21am | #8

   I recommend Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner as being an excellent source of finishing informations, including the why's not just the how's.

   Frankly, I don't see why you are unwilling to accept the concepts explained for cherry to be applied to maple.  They are both diffuse porous woods, with rather similar structure.  Both tend toward blotching in similar ways.  If the methods work with cherry there isn't any reason to suspect that they won't work with maple. 

   Besides, you will not be risking much, since you should NEVER apply a finish to the wood on an actual project, without making a full test of the entire finish schedule from the same wood. 

4. 
   haliaka | Sep 13, 2008 07:06am | #9

   I accept and know that maple and cherry have the same qualities when staining. But when recommending a procedure to a friend who has no woodworking or staining experience, If something should go wrong or not look the way he wants it, I dont want to be the one in "hot water" because I recommended a Cherry procedure  on a Maple Kitchen. 

5. 
   SteveSchoene | Sep 13, 2008 02:41pm | #10

   You are going to sit on him until he agrees that test boards are going to be made, right.  That pretty much limits the degree of hot water. 

6. 
   haliaka | Sep 13, 2008 09:14pm | #11

   Understood!!

   Thanks

   Bob

7. 
   nboucher | Sep 15, 2008 04:26pm | #13

   Bob, Steve Schoene knows a heck of a lot more about finishing than I do. I'm a novice, but I second his recommendation: Understanding Wood Finishing is my bible on the subject.I recently finished a maple vanity, and I drove my wife nuts with all the samples I showed her before deciding on a final approach. (I knew I was done when she couldn't tell the difference between two samples, but I still could: there lies madness.) I think I showed her close to 20 samples, all from the same boards I used for the vanity. I wrote the formula on the back of each one, so I can refer to them in the future as well.There's no "right"way; the best method is the one that produces the look you're after, even if the next guy thinks it's ugly.

8. 
   haliaka | Sep 16, 2008 03:28am | #14

   Thanks for the info.

   Bob

9. 
   WillGeorge | Sep 17, 2008 03:13am | #15

   IF your wife liked it. I would leave it a that and ask her for a big hug!

2. 
   JiminFla | Sep 10, 2008 10:47pm | #2

   Maple is a close-grained wood and it does not accept pigmented stains very well.  I think you will have better luck with one of the water-based dyes.  Check the Woodcraft or Lee Valley catalogs and you'll find what you're looking for.

   Jim

3. 
   WillGeorge | Sep 14, 2008 11:09am | #12

   a correct method of staining maple so the maple does not blotch?

    Send it to a PRO with spray equipment!