Thread: ..well I stripped it! ...Whither Now?

if your using waterstains then you should be able to go straight to the nitro...i think

i'v been using black japan for staining to get a rich walnut colour,sealed well with shellac then topcoated, but it's a mongrol to apply and so i just started using vandyke crystals, as it's a water dye i just topcoat straight over and skip the shellac...shellac would norrmally be used as a barrier to stop a topcoat bleading or desolving the stain , but with water stain it's not a problem...

Originally Posted by fanlee

2. If I used Feast Watson Proof tint dissolved in alcohol direct on the timber, would a couple of coats of shellac (or hard shellac) prevent subsequent bleeding of the colour if I then finished the whole thing with nitro cellulose lacquer?

Mixing that dye with metho will make it ecaporate really quick enhancing your chances of uneven coating as it will dry pretty much as soon as it hits the wood. It is water soluble and would be easier to apply mixed with water as it will stay wet longer enabling you to push it around for longer. You could look at the ubeaut waterbase stains which I havent used but reputed to be excellent.

I have heard lighter fluid [naptha] is good for cleaning down a body before finishing. Whatever caused that blem you gotta make sure is gone. It is not recomended to put steel wool in contact with raw wood as particles of steel caught in the grain may cause oxidised rust spots in the fiinish. I have had it put ugly grey marks on light wood that is pretty hard to get rid of.

Yeah...I figured since I was using metho it might be OK but you're right...if I use water based anyhting now it might be a problem...well I'll sand & sand some more...LOL.

that's the shot, lots of sanding, you have to get that timber back enough for it to absorb again, or your stain will just sit on the surface...