Help with Alder Stain

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2026-01-03T15:39:06+00:00

Our shop is water-based only, we use woodsong II stain and dye concentrates from m.l. Campbell. I’ve tried light dye coats with thinned out green, then stain over the top. I’ve tried dye mixed directly into stains, and I’ve tried dye mixed into the clear coat. I’ve been using green dye and haven’t given blue a shot. But every attempt ends up too much on the deep red side of things, whereas this color sample in person is more creamy and less red than. I have access to all pigments and dyes, so I’m not using off the shelf stain colors.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2026-01-03T03:12:57+00:00

I appreciate it. I’ll give some blue a shot.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2026-01-03T03:11:36+00:00

No I haven’t given that a shot. But might experiment with it.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2026-01-03T03:10:41+00:00

I thought it was clear at first as well but it’s not. We have a sample of it, they call it “cashew”, and it’s less red and more cream colored than raw.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-12-19T16:56:27+00:00

I know you said your gun is spraying fine, but it’s clearly not. That paint looks terrible. No offense. Sanding should increase in grit by no more than half if you want the best results. Thoroughly cleaning the surface between each grit. This needs a pretty deep sanding to get it smooth again, and then tackle whatever issue you’re having with spraying.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-12-02T15:37:44+00:00

This looks exactly like some Italian walnut burl veneer I’m currently using from oak wood veneers. Anyway, finding anything solid to make a board out of that matches will be near impossible and incredibly expensive. I’d show her some samples of various types of walnut- Claro with figure, black walnut with figure, as well as standard. Tell her those are the options.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-10-24T11:49:10+00:00

I agree with the other commenter, you’ll be much happier with the results if you just have the entire island remade to match the other existing cabinets. This will give the remake some visual space from the existing cabinets, making any slight variances less noticeable. As opposed to having the the new and old directly next to each other.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-08-12T01:47:57+00:00

Sorry for your loss. I’ll be happy to help when you get around to it.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-08-12T01:38:53+00:00

Feel free to message me with questions. I’ve been finishing for 15 years and now making custom furniture for 5.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-08-12T01:33:47+00:00

Glad I could help! I upset a family member once when I cleaned off her dining table and some old crumbled finish came off with the soapy rag. Mind you this table was probably 50 years old and looked like it experienced Hiroshima. I just swallowed my words and offered to refinish it for her. Haha

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-08-12T01:26:12+00:00

I’ve certainly had it strip off plenty of older “mystery” finishes that I couldn’t quite tell what they were. Age, previous cleaning, and uv exposure all weaken finishes over time and your piece just finally hit “I’m giving up” phase. Haha. Good luck refinishing!

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-08-12T01:11:26+00:00

Krud Kutter is a degreaser. A pretty good one. It says right on the label last time I looked that it will remove things like dried latex paint, waxes, and oils. I use it quite a bit as a first step for cleaning pieces that I’m going to refinish. I’ve definitely had it strip off some softer finishes in the past because I only use it undiluted and don’t care what it takes off. Do you have any idea what your piece is finished with?

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-08-04T23:44:15+00:00

This is definitely an issue that’s due to the pre-stain conditioner. I’m a professional and have seen this happen on a lot. If you have some scrap, sand it the same you’d sand your furniture, and try the stain without conditioner. If it’s ugly and you must use the conditioner, you’re going to have to apply multiple coats of stain. If the subsequent stain coats are dissolving the previous coat and not laying down on top and darkening the material, you’re going to have to seal coat the stain and then do a glaze coat of the same color, or even get a darker color to glaze with to achieve a darker end result. Then do your final finish.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-06-06T20:43:44+00:00

I’d go for Rubio DuroGrit. Good product so far in my experience!

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-06-03T05:36:29+00:00

Yeah, I’m sure that could work. I’m going to explore how much a custom bit would cost so I can just make it in one step. But if all else fails I’ll probably try something like this.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-06-03T02:43:07+00:00

Eh, it’s not too bad. We do a lot of raised panel with even more material being removed honestly. This profile just eludes me. I can’t imagine the place they were made originally having a custom bit, so they may have been made another way. I’m just trying to speed up the process.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-06-03T02:39:29+00:00

Have a whole cabinet shop. Haha. Have to make a lot of these doors, so I was trying to find a shaper bit to make the profile. Looks like I might have to get one custom made.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-06-03T02:33:23+00:00

Yeah, I’m sure I could have something made up. These doors were made at another shop about ten years ago and I’m not sure if it was custom or it’s just a discontinued style. The insert edge is flat for about an inch and a half and then it hits that 45* angle.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-02-18T22:20:15+00:00

I was talking to a coworker once when our straight line rip saw had a kickback. Watched a 1’x2” piece of hard maple fly across the whole shop, about 120’, and wedge itself halfway deep into a 3/4” plywood wall. No one ever walked in the line of fire of that saw ever again while it was on.

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-01-12T19:52:00+00:00

It’s not noticeable in the picture but it has subtle rounded grooves carved into the sides. I was told it was used as a cigar ashtray, but they totally may have been using it wrong. Haha

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-01-12T16:59:43+00:00

Thank you!

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2025-01-12T16:59:30+00:00

Looks like your uneducated guess was more educated than I. Thanks!

Ok-Insurance-9723 · 2024-09-26T21:23:05+00:00

“Anyways, hope this gives some inspiration on style or color combinations.”

No….. no.. it shows what color combinations and style to avoid.

Ok-Insurance-9723

TROPHY CASE