She Ain't No Beauty

[George Hoskins]

Well gents, after about 3 years of working on my Lancaster build, with much anticipation, I stained her this week. To say I'm disappointed would be an understatement. As a matter of fact I'm wondering what color of paint goes with a brown barrel. I'm using LMF Nut Brown and the stain has gone on blotchy (for lack of a better description). All the end grain spots have turned out too dark and some of the heart wood spots are shining like a beacon. I have on two coats and rubbed down between coats. How do I proceed from here? Rub down and recoat again or rub down hard and recoat? Can I hit the bright heartwood with an air brush to tone it back? I need to even out the look more and I desperately need some wise advise.

 

[Rifleman1776]

hotoSmile:
What kind of wood?
Did you use a blank with a mix of sap wood and heart wood? If you did, expect less than optimal results.

 

[Zonie]

If I were to guess, the stock has some oily areas on it or, you sanded it using a sandpaper with too fine of a grit.

Oil usually won't cause a problem for a alcohol based stain but it could.

Sanding the wood with sandpaper finer than 220 grit will close the woods pores so even a alcohol stain can't penetrate the wood. This is especially true if you used some 400 or 600 (or finer) grit paper.

If you used a courser sandpaper you might try spraying the stock with some automotive Disk Brake Cleaner and try again.

Another method of removing any oily contamination would be to give the stock a lye water treatment.

I also wonder about you rubbing the stock down between coats. That's another way of closing the grain and adding to your problems.

 

[Keb]

...As a matter of fact I'm wondering what color of paint goes with a brown barrel...

Federal Blue milk paint.

 

[frogwalking]

Hi Greenhorn, Sorry to hear of your difficulty. What you are describing may not be unusual. If your stock is maple, it likely has greatly varying grain that will yield different colors. It would be helpful if you included a photo of the stock. Some really nice maple has unusual grain that differs from the normal tiger stripe, but is still striking. Post a picture. It may not be that bad.

 

[50cal.cliff]

Seriously a photo could help you get a diagnosis and fix for what ails you!

I am a woodworker by trade and have run across some unique problems over the years, but without seeing it, hotoSmile: I would just be guessing as too a fix!

There is nothing more sickening that when you stain something and all of the sudden realize, :idunno: this has take a turn for worse!

You also need to share as too the variety of wood and how you went about preparing it for stain!!!!

 

[George Hoskins]

Sorry but I forgot to mention the wood type. It is curly maple and a grade 2 (I think it was ) from TOTW. I'm hoping its not what Zonie says (altho the thought crossed my mind also) and that it's grease. I did handle the stock with bare hands after sanding (stupidly, without thinking). I think I did sand to 400(but no finer) Zonie but all the books I have say that's ok. In any case I have a range day tomorrow (supposed to be nice after the tail end of the tropical storm). I will try to get some pix up tomorrow nite, altho I am ashamed of them but I need the help.

 

[Birddog6]

I have seen a maple that you cannot get it all the same color. Just a poor piece of wood it was. Stained it very dark all over & off it went.

For oil to be the culprit, you would have to have LOTS of oil on your hands unless you are staining with a water based stain. That could incur an issue if that be the case. I normally use Dangler stains and they are alcohol based & will go right thru a oil smudge or hand print.

I suggest sand it down with 220 paper & stain it with some Danglers. If some areas are darker than others, double coat the light after a bit & try to blend them. Danglers blends very will if you go to the overlaps & wipe that part quickly. Sometimes have to steel wool the overlaps but I have always been able to blend them.

Keith Lisle

 

[kaintuck]

and sometimes....the stock will look just fine after a few coats of sealer and wax....

lets see pics please...........

 

[tenngun]

Darker stains some times bring out the differines in the wood hardness and can have great varrition.To me its the beauty of the wood,and gives it a living natural look