Great work all. I love that I can combine my passions of saltwater fish keeeping and woodworking.
Some helpful hints for those working with stained stains.
- Do the research online. There are many great woodworking sites that offer invaluable research on pre-stain treatment, staining, topcoating, etc. Too many times have I done a project just to jack it up with crappy finishing!
- I know most people only have access to Home Depot or Lowes, but if you can, search out better quality product. I'm CRAZY for any of the products by General Finishes. They are maybe a couple of bucks more than Minwax stuff, but LIGHT years better in quality. Their waterbased stains go on line butter and their Polycrylic topcoat is phenomenal. I use the gloss (even though it's more like semi-gloss) and sand thoroughly between coats with 400 paper and tack fully before application of the next coat with a foam brush or HVLP gun. I typically do 4 top coats. You can get it online at Rockler or Woodcraft. It will make your stands shine!
- Another thing I would do with stained stands is the following:
apply the stain, do NOT sand, apply the first top coat after the first top coat is dry, apply either a water based gel stain or glaze (say dark brown or black paint thinned out with glaze medium you can pick up at lowes or home d). The glaze or gel stain will work its way into the recesses and moldings. You then wipe away the rest just leaving the darker finish in the crevasses. Sand with 400 and then apply your remaining top coats. This process gives a depth of finish like you wouldn't believe.
Obviously, it's all about the desired finish effect, but hopefully these tidbits might help someone and that's really what this forum is all about eh?