I,m reworking a stock made of what appears to be plain straight grain maple or something of the same ilk. It will not take any type of conventional stain, I might as well try to stain formica. So, I'm going to try an aniline dye/stain that comes in powder form. There are three types, water mix, alcohol mix, and oil (toluol/laquer thinnner) mix. My question is, which type mix is likely to work on this type of wood?

craigster:

I've used the "water" mix but you have to mix it in a small amount of alcohol for an hour before adding the water. If you don't it will fade overnight.

The stuff when properly mixed WILL stain Formica!

Rick

I use dyes a lot in furniture.With birch you can get splotches.The trick is to even out the absorption,a light coat of shelac is what the pros use.In the last year Fine Woodworking had an article on this problem.Check it out.I redid a Cooey 64 stock without shelacing it,looked like it had been flamed.It had one splotch,though.

downwindtracker2,
What type of dye do you use? Water, alcohol, or oil base? Thanks for the info.

craigster,

Try resanding the surface and then applying thinned MS or Minwax � Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. I have used both water and oil bases for staining, but you have to see the stain on the wood to really get what color you are after.

Try woodcraft.com for crystaline or liquid stains as well as conditioners. I would work up the buttstock in the recoil pad area. Although it will absorb more material, it will give you a better idea of final color. You will likely have to mix and try several color variations to get what color you are after.

Minwax, woodcraft and popularwoodworking have sites with more info.

Good luck,

[ 07-03-2003, 10:59: Message edited by: Sierra_Dave ]

craigster,

"Finishing Blotches on Maple and Cherry
Each species of hardwood possesses unique grain and cell structures, which affect the results of the coloring or staining process. Tight grain wood, such as hard and soft maple, and cherry, will often become blotchy when stain is applied. Open grained wood, such as oak or ash, often stain unevenly between the different textures of the wood grain, especially when trying to achieve deep colors.

To eliminate blotchiness on maples and cherry, a light wash coat may be applied prior to staining. A wash coat can be formulated by using one part of non-catalyzed vinyl sealer with 5-10 parts acetone. Increasing the ratio of vinyl sealer to acetone will provide more stain uniformity. Increasing the ratio of acetone to sealer will provide deeper stain penetration into the wood. (Using wash coats may impede achieving deep stain colors.)

On maple woods, a "grain popper" can be used by blending one part water with one part methanol, and lightly and uniformly spraying it over the wood. This process is a reverse of wash coating and will uniformly open up the pores of the wood to provide deep stain penetration. However, with some stain colors this may cause an undesirable, muddy effect. "

"Synthetic dye concentrates can be suspended in water or alcohol, and then sprayed onto the wood prior to using a pigmented wiping stain. This two-step process may be used on all species of hardwoods, and will provide depth and uniformity of color that is unachievable in a one-step pigmented stain process.

Subsequent to all of these coloring and staining steps, a toner may be sprayed over any of the previously discussed stain systems to develop the desired hardwood color. A toner may be mixed with one part pigmented wiping stain and four parts acetone. Toners will even out variations in the color of the wood, such as between plywoods and hardwoods, as well as add more depth and strength to the overall color. "

These are some notes from a site which may help you decide. Water based stains dry quicked, but are hard to work with for your first project. I would lean toward alcohol or oil. Be prepared to remove your first stain and try again...it is a difficult skill to pick up.

Good Luck,

I have used both a premixed and the add hot distilled water.I only used the premixed once about 15 years ago ,it doesn't raise grain like the water based.The water based is easy and cheap.If you are doing furnature,make sure you make up enough for all of it Lee Valley sells it http://www.leevalley.com/home/main.asp?SID=&ccurrency=

Craigster,
You still have finish that has soaked into the wood. You can try to sand it out and it will be a chore or you have one other option. Get a butane torch and singe the outside of the stock. Go over it until you have a uniform color. It will turn a brown color and the tone will depend on the time you applied the heat. This method was used on black powder rifles in the 1800's to give it a darker color. It was used on maple and cherry. Then apply your finish.

Thanks for the input, guys. I think I now have a plan from which I can deviate.

Craigster, you didnt tell me you were a deviate. Let me get my hat and coat and join you.

Hey Chic,
It's been mentioned before that I resemble that remark. COME ON DOWN!!!

For those interested, just picked up the June issue of Fine Woodworking, it has a complete article that deals with staining/finishing maple.

Craigster,

As someone said above, the dyes from Woodcraft are pretty good. I add the concentrate to alcohol. It does raise the grain ever so slightly, so be sure to whisker first with water, then with EtOH, before dyeing and finishing. The red-brown dye could be used in dilute fashion to give you something like the old-time maple muzzleloader stock look. I use a combination of red-brown and medium brown on walnut Mauser stocks to get a nice cocoa reddish tint, when restoring old military guns. And if your initial effort is too dark, just keep wiping with straight EtOH to lighten it up.

Todd