Andy Dingley wrote:

There are good reasons for staining. Nearly all are a combination of
either cheap timber or ignorant clients. If you're not constrained in
this way then there's no excuse for doing it as Norm does - taking
perfectly fine timber and ruining it.

Holy crap I wish I was that proud of my opinion. I am thinking now of
all the ignorant clients I have had over the years... they didn't know
that they shouldn't have their cabinets, built-ins, and decorative
moldings painted or stained.

It is always reassuring to me to see the level of acceptance of the
ideas of others in this group. Outstanding. I always thought that you
could do what you wanted with your own personal projects, but not too
sure now. And now to find out my well heeled clients are "ignorant";
it may be more than I can handle. After all I do what they want, that
is what they pay me to do. Some folks here may be sorely surprised at
the masses of the great unwashed, the unknowing, that actually prefer
stain and paint.

My own personal taste is a natural oil for most pieces, maybe with an
occasional tint to highlight some grain patterns. However, if Norm or
anyone else want to **** on their projects for finish, I am fine with
that. He could stain it brown with whatever he thought was fine, and
as long as he could contain the smell (I do have some limits). It's
his project. He built it. I personally wouldn't give a moment of
thought to asking someone else what they preferred on my projects. If
I built it, that sombitch is mine. Period.

Time to get the brad/glue bitch going again. Or maybe the one where he
is a puppet for his coporate masters to shill machinery.

Robert