"bay area dave" wrote in message
...

No, I haven't used Bartleys, but if you are using it it's gotta be good!

I have not found a better one, especially in a gel stain. Zar is pretty
good.

Drifast comes in only 11 base colors. They are recoatable in only 2 hours.
Try
that with Minwax!
Nutmeg
Early American
Red Mahogany
Natuaral
Golden Oak
Special Walnut
Jacobean
Ebony
Rosewood
Provincial (My favorite for floors)
White (the only one which requires 24 hrs drying time)

Sounds about like the same colors that Bartleys offers. IIRC recoat with
Bartleys is 4 hours. No real smell with it also.


I don't know how they incorporate a fast drying stain with no lap marks,
but
seeing is believing.

These two stains sound a lot alike. Bartleys leaves no lap marks either
unless your are careless and let a gob dry in place without wiping it off.
BUT..!!!!! With Bartleys if you have a "goof" you simply apply more to the
thick or too dark area and let it soak in a few seconds and then wipe it
off. The "over application" comes off....After the initial aplication, you
follow up with their Gel varnish if you want or anyone elses but using
theirs you have NO sanding or scuffing between coats. Each sucessive layer
of stain or varnish melts into the previous. The hand wiped finish is like
glass.
Not trying to sell you on this over the DriFast as both lound like they
are pretty darn closely matched.


I was warned about the difficulties in using a waterbased
stain. ie. lap marks. I have never used anything but oil based stains
such as
Minwax

For the first time last week I used a water based stain made by General
Finishes. I was pleased with the results. Even on Oak I got very little
raised grain and did not predampen and sand before applying the stain..I was
however looking for a rustic look and feel and did not care if the finish
was rough or not. This was on picture frames that I built for S. Texas
landscape paintings. It was like using paint that covered well and then I
wiped it off.

Where do you get your Bartleys? Do any Borgs carry it? I'm 4 blocks from
HD
and about 40 minutes from a Lowe's.

You are probably not going to find Bartleys at a Borg.. Wood Craft Stocks
it and it is in their catalog. Mostly dedicated woodworking stores sell it.
I can get it at the hardwood lumber suppliers in Houston and you can order
dirrect. A little pricey but it goes a long way. About $15 a quart but 1
quart of stain took care of my whole remodeled kitchen 13 years ago.
Followed with 3 coats and or 2 quarts of the same brand varnish.

Take a look here for the poop on the product.
http://www.bartleycollection.com/finish.htm They sell furniture kits also.

Where are you getting the FastDry?



dave

Leon wrote:

Hey Dave,
How does that DriFast stain do when it comes to lap marks and where did
you
get it?
Have you ever tried Bartleys? It only comes in about 12 colors so
selection
is small but it too dries quickly. You can pretty much handle it in a
couple minutes after wiping off the excess and the same goes for their
gel
wiping varnish. After a minute or two dust does not stick to it.