Stain Question

[trackman]

I am going to stain poplar dowel rods oak. Is there anything that I would need to do to prepare before I put on the stain?  Had trouble in past getting a good even color. Thanks 

[Woodmaster1]

Use a pre stain wood conditioner. There several types available, just ask your friendly hardware man. Poplar is not the best for staining but great for painting. I usually buy wood dowels that are the same type of wood I am using.

Edited January 28, 2019 by Woodmaster1

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Not sure what you are hoping to accomplish with this combination but I would get real oak dowels and go from there. To get the oak color on polar you are better off painting than staining.  Just my opinion.

[WayneMahler]

Poplar does not stain very well. I use a water based pre-stain conditioner then lightly sand to remove the raised fibers. Then apply stain. The same method for staining pine . Results are decent. I doubt you get poplar to look like oak, hopefully you can get it close to color. Both species have a very different grain pattern though. 

[trackman]

Thanks for the information. Trying to save my sister money on a project for her. Were I am can’t find oak dowels an 1 1/4” square stock in oak. Need to make 9 crosstich frames. Brought a wood threading tool to make the adjusting parts (black in picture)

[Rolf]

Will you be threading the dowel?  Poplar is a bit soft. Do you have a wood lathe? I go to a local Lowes or Home Depot for my dowels. 

Also many hardware stores carry dowels.

Edited January 28, 2019 by Rolf

[trackman]

I got a threading kit for the dowels an it works great. No I don’t have a lathe but would like to learn. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I agree Home Depot and even Lowes carry oak dowels and also some larger oak used for stairs and railings. You can also glue a couple pieces together and do some segmenting. Stain a piece dark black and sandwich in between to lighter piece and so on. For a project as nice as that I would not skimp on using lesser quality woods to make up for cost. You will never be able to keep consistency colors throughout using light woods like poplar. Are you using a Beall wood threading tool? I have one burried somewhere in my shop that I used for cutting threads for bolt clocks that I make. They work well. Mine is used with a router. They do sell just taps and dies also.  

[Sycamore67]

There is a lot of variation in dowels.  If it were me, I would sand the dowel and do some trials and would very lightly stain it.  You could then add more stain after it dries to get richer color.   I have better luck with oil based stains than water based in terms of grain raising and blotching.

For me, the key to stain and finish is doing some trials on extra pieces.  You not only test the materials but also learn technique with practice.  Yes, it takes extra time but you better better results.

[JimErn]

JT, that bolt clock is great.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

21 minutes ago, JimErn said:

JT, that bolt clock is great.

Thanks. I have done these in so many various woods and color combinations over the years. Have not done many in a few years now but it maybe time to find that thing again and break out some new designs. 

[trackman]

Sorry took so long to show what I am using to cut threads.