Q:
My clamps have plastic pads that leave stains on the wood. Will these stains affect my finish?
Russel Chandler, Perham, MN
A:
I know just what you’re talking about, and being an engineer, I ran some tests to find answers. I discovered that those stains are not visible under an oil finish, but they show up as unsightly blotches under waterborne finishes. So, with waterborne finish, use wooden clamping cauls or pads during glue-up to prevent the plastic pads from contacting the clean wood surface. After finishing, you’ll see nothing but beautiful wood grain.
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