Staining Ash... Any Ideas?... Any Comments?

Myself I would find a good finisher in your area and sub it out. Or youcheck under the forums go to woodworking skills and find the title Smart Tails Charles Neil started the topic, get in touch with him he can answer your questions. He is one of the best finishers there is on the web.

-- Taigert - Milan, IN

Do several tests on scraps that have been sanded the same as your hutch until you are satisfied. Satin poly has a nice in between sheen, not too glossy or dull. I have the best results with any finish by doing multiple thin coats as opposed to a couple of heavy ones. Ash usually takes stain well. I would not sand past 150 grit, otherwise the stain will be blotchy.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

test.. test.. test… I like to use sanding sealer first to even out the stain and avoid blotching. Gel Stains help too

-- making sawdust....

I personally prefer to use dye stains from transtint which are available at Rockler.com, woodcraft.com and veneersupplies.com (which has the best price). You get 2 oz of concetrated dye that you can mix with either distilled water or alcohol. The trick is to test on sample boards through the entire finish schedule that you will use on the actual project. I find that once you get the hang of working with dye stains and the steps that are involved you will find that the finish is simply beautiful. Since it is a dye vs. pigment the stain penetrates the wood very evenly. It looks a little muddy going on but once you seal it and then add a top coat it will look great! Also if you mix with water you have a stain that has very low voc but you have to pre-raise the grain.

-- Brian, Folsom, CA http://www.brianfullerdesigns.com