Hi Everyone-
I am in the process of making a small set of maple bathroom cabinets. Unfortunately, and even though I was working as carefully as possible, as a result of raising the door panels there is/are one or two areas on each panel where there is significant tearout in the exposed short grain sections (top and bottom). My finishing plans are to “age” the maple slightly with a dilute H2O soluble transtint dye followed by H2O-based poly. My fear is that the tearout areas will take the dye unevenly and as a result be really noticeable. Also, at the risk of changing the ogee profile I have scraped and sanded all I dare. To the point of my post-
Is there a way to fill these areas in such a way that the dye will take like the surrounding wood?
Is it possible to dye a filling material prior to application?
Should I keep sanding and scraping and hope for the best?
So many questions.
As always, any guidance in this matter will be profoundly appreciated (especially since it will get the owner, a.k.a. my wife, off my back- she is growing tired of having the bathroom torn apart 🙂 ).
Thanks,
Doc in Carlsbad CA
Replies
You might consider sealing the end grain (shellac) prior to staining. This will minimize the contrast between end grain and face grain. But the tearout will still be noticeable. Quickest fix is wood filler, and you can mix the dye with the filler to match the end grain color you wind up with after staining. Nick
Thanks Nick-
I am going to try the wood filler fix and hope for the best.
Doc in CCA
Doc,
If you haven't assembled the doors yet; I would shorten the panels by the depth of your tearout, then recut the profile. Take very light passes to avoid more tearout. Be especially careful as you exit the cut. It will want to tear out on the long grain side. With the long grain profile already in place, I don't think there is any easy way to back up your cut as the piece exits the bit. Again, your only defense (that I can think of) is to take light passes.
If you have assembled the doors, my suggestion is worthless. However, I normally finish the panels before assembly. That way, if the rails and stiles shrink sometime in the future, there won't be any visible portion of unfinished panel.
If I completely misinterpreted your question, please disregard my drivel.
Good Luck
Kyle
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