"Gordon Shumway" wrote in message
...

I know I didn't use too much finger pressure while sanding because I
either used a sanding block or my ROS. Besides the "prints" were
across the grain not with the grain so that was definitely not the
issue. I know I wasn't doing any shade tree mechanic work at the time
so that wasn't the culprit either. I've never had this problem before
either and I have stained many projects in the past.

It is possible, maybe even probable, that this occurred during
shipment from the manufacturer to my lumber yard or from there to my
house.

They very well may not be your finger prints... I've seen store workers and
delivery men use very dirty gloves and hands while handling materials... and
have even had boot prints on trim and doors. One time my wife accepted a
delivery and I came home to find a rusty gloved hand print on my table saw
top and wet dirty hand prints all over the n-grade trim... the guy
apparently used the saw for balance as they brought 16' long trim stock into
the shop. Ugh...

John