Blank

that must have been so scary as all your work started “being ruined” by blotchiness.
Good save!
Magnificent piece.
((Bowing at your mastery))

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Next time you can try giving the project a sealing coat of shellac. it can help make it easier to evenout the stain

-- dannymac

the horror… the horror.

-- Damon, Right Angle Construction

very nice piece of work..you always do your projects proud..and this one is no different .

-- GRIZZMAN ...[''''']

Hey Jordan, wonderful piece and fantastic work. I think I read somewhere that you can use a coat of shellac as primer to prevent blotching. I’m not sure about that, so you better check it out before trying it.

-- Mike, American in Norway

I made a desk top out of bass wood and I also stained it. The only thing I did differently was to use a 50/50 solution of Denatured Alcohol and Sealcoat shellac. This eliminates the blocthing. After the first coat sand lightly with 220 or 320. Then apply your stain. This works also works on pine and cherry.
Your project still came out great, nice recovery.

-- Guy Kroll www.thelandsathillsidefarms.org

sorry to hear and see you failed !
but even the best stumbled from time to time
I thought it was great before and I will
look forward to see you end result nomatter
how it turns out from your painting room
I am sure you can save it

Dennis

If laquer is an option you can do a 50/50 “washcoat” with thinner. Spray from further away than normal to make it mist. We had great results with this tecnique.
Another way is to do the same with sanding sealer, but I think the first is the best.

Yet another solution is to use a sprayable dye. This only sits on top of the surface and must be topcaoted after. But this seems effective and has many great tricks you can do to enhance your finishing.( eg. shading,sunburst,matching existing pieces, etc…..)

-- Live by what you believe, not what they want you to believe.

Greetings Jordan,

Never, you hear, never try to stain a large piece of basswood again!
Now that’s out of the way, as the reminder requested.

Yet another reminder how nature is master and we are simply stewards. You can coax it only so far.

One suspects many have been there, and done that, or so.
When facing a wonderfully problematic wood, there is but one choice and that is to experiment with large enough scrap of the same material. Duh, simple huh? and obvious. Though it’s not surprising how many of us have “No Time” and hell-bent anxious to get to the finish line.

There’s no failure here, simply an adjustment.

—Peter

You say the color in the photo is not true. So a little hard to really tell, however, I looked at the example jlsmith submitted and I think you need to add some dark and extenuate the blotchy look more. Heck, I’m thinking, rubbing in used coffee grounds might give it a cool tone. But more contrast is needed. That used one really has character.
Unless you are going for the new look, then, never mind…........................

-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.

I don’t know what to say. I have several collars and sets of harness in the tack room. You obviously had a set to go by. Man you are something!!! Unbelievable carving skills.

-- Thos. Angle, Jordan Valley, Oregon

That looks more realistic than the collars and hames my dad used on his team!!

-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence Wake Up America!! Please read; http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/26-0

It looks ‘weathered.’ You’ve done a great job on it.

-- http://barbsid.blogspot.com/

time to get back into the collar ,
and wait for the ’ whip ’ of inspiration !

your work is so real ,

i salute you !

well done .

-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle

When you are finished, you are the only one that will know of the disappointment you experienced (Well, there are a few more of us, but we’ll never tell). This is going to look fantastic!

-- Steve - Impatience is Expensive