I came up with a great ebony recipe that turned out great on red oak:
Mixwax Ebony -- wiped on 2 coats
Behlen's Solar Lux - Jet Black -- sprayed on until uniform
General's Java Gel Stain - wiped on
It turned out great. My wife is giddy (#1 customer) it looks so nice.
Now the problem, I wanted to finish with Waterlox Original. Having not worked with Waterlox before, I tried an inside shelf to see how it would go. Well, not so good. I tried using a foam brush and the wiping it. It was streaky and ugly. Next I took some MS and 600 grit, tried to smooth it out to recoat. 2nd coat, really not any better.
What am I doing wrong? Can the Waterlox not go over the Gel Stain? What is the best way to apply the stuff.
Any insight would be appreciated.