I am making some shelves and have sanded both sides and the edges
nicely. Then when it came to stain the wood I am stumped. How do I
stain both sides? If I try to stain just one side, then some stain may
leak around the edge onto the other side, and when I finish the other
side it may have a streak in it from this stain. Also how does one hold
this board? I had my bare fingers on the one side, but then when ready
to flip and stain other side, its wet so I didnt want to mes up the
stain, but also didn't want to stain one side at a time...Confused :P

And then the polyurethane \o/




--
Thank you,



"Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor
man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard." Ecclesiastes 9:16

Sounds like you are applying the stain like you would paint.

Apply the stain with a rag and don't use too much and then it won't run.
Stain the whole thing then wipe off the excess (as you are supposed to do
anyway) this will take care of any runs or streaks. When finished, balance
against a wall or on the tips of some nails pionted up from a piece of scrap
wood.

Now the Poly you will need to wait for one side to dry before doing the
other. I like Varathane for this because it dries very fast and cleans up
with water.




"dnoyeB" wrote in message
. ..
I am making some shelves and have sanded both sides and the edges nicely.
Then when it came to stain the wood I am stumped. How do I stain both
sides? If I try to stain just one side, then some stain may leak around
the edge onto the other side, and when I finish the other side it may have
a streak in it from this stain. Also how does one hold this board? I had
my bare fingers on the one side, but then when ready to flip and stain
other side, its wet so I didnt want to mes up the stain, but also didn't
want to stain one side at a time...Confused :P

And then the polyurethane \o/




--
Thank you,



"Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor
man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard." Ecclesiastes
9:16

A trick my dad taught me. It was originally for doors, but I've
applied it to other things.

If you're not finishing the edges (or if they'll be hidden anyway),
you can use them to support the board. How? Pre-drill a hole on
those edges near each corner. Find a long wood screw that's 100%
threaded. Cut a small scrap of wood, drill a hole through it, and
screw it onto the screw all the way. Now screw the screw into your
board "just enough". Now you have four "legs" attached to your board
in places where it won't show; you can use these legs to manipulate
the board (i.e. flip it over) while finishing it, and to suspend the
board while the finish dries. If the scraps happen to be round, you
don't have to worry about them tipping over either.

For larger pieces, I put screw-eyes into hidden edges, and suspend
them from my shop ceiling. Then I can stand on both sides to finish
it. The largest I've done this way was two 100 lb table top halves.
They were hung from I-beams via 3/8" threaded rod.

PipeDown wrote:

Now the Poly you will need to wait for one side to dry before doing the
other.

I have successfully put screws into the sides of the shelf and supported
the shelves by the screws. Did one side, then flipped it over and did
the other side.

Turned out okay.

Chris

DJ Delorie wrote:
A trick my dad taught me. It was originally for doors, but I've
applied it to other things.

If you're not finishing the edges (or if they'll be hidden anyway),
you can use them to support the board. How? Pre-drill a hole on
those edges near each corner. Find a long wood screw that's 100%
threaded. Cut a small scrap of wood, drill a hole through it, and
screw it onto the screw all the way. Now screw the screw into your
board "just enough". Now you have four "legs" attached to your board
in places where it won't show; you can use these legs to manipulate
the board (i.e. flip it over) while finishing it, and to suspend the
board while the finish dries. If the scraps happen to be round, you
don't have to worry about them tipping over either.

For larger pieces, I put screw-eyes into hidden edges, and suspend
them from my shop ceiling. Then I can stand on both sides to finish
it. The largest I've done this way was two 100 lb table top halves.
They were hung from I-beams via 3/8" threaded rod.

Sweet. I can do that! (not the 100lb table, but the screws). I can
even insert some screw catcher or something in the side to make it look
like the hole is supposed to be there. Great I'll do that next time.

--
Thank you,



"Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor
man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard." Ecclesiastes 9:16

Put "small" finishing nails in the end of the shelf.

You end up with four nails per shelf.


Use the nails as support by sitting the shelf between
two scraps of wood. Stain and wipe one side, then sit
the shelf between the supports and stain and wipe the
remaining side.

I normally just stain and wipe the entire shelf and
don't have to resort to the above method.

The above method is an excellent solution to your
poly coating.


dnoyeB wrote:

I am making some shelves and have sanded both sides and the edges
nicely. Then when it came to stain the wood I am stumped. How do I
stain both sides?

I drive nails into the ends (that won't be seen) and hang it from them for
finishing.

"dnoyeB" wrote in message
. ..
I am making some shelves and have sanded both sides and the edges
nicely. Then when it came to stain the wood I am stumped. How do I
stain both sides? If I try to stain just one side, then some stain may
leak around the edge onto the other side, and when I finish the other
side it may have a streak in it from this stain. Also how does one hold
this board? I had my bare fingers on the one side, but then when ready
to flip and stain other side, its wet so I didnt want to mes up the
stain, but also didn't want to stain one side at a time...Confused :P

And then the polyurethane \o/




--
Thank you,



"Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor
man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard." Ecclesiastes
9:16