On Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:26:37 -0400, dwolf wrote:

I pretty much work with clear coating.. Most of my clients prefer it, and if
they think they don't I convince them..
But I do have a cherry dining table to do that will need to be stained.. I
know cherry is known for blotchiness..
One solution is a pre stain treatment, and the other is gel stain..
I also will be spraying a clear coat of catalyzed varnish, which I prefer
not to color...
So just checking to see what folks here have done..


I shudder at the thought of staining cherry, but what must be ...

My technique on any "blotchy" wood is to put down a couple of coats of
dewaxed shellac and then mix a dye into the next coat. More "toning" than
"staining". Then overcoat with varnish or poly if hard wear (as a table
top) is expected.