Some things shouldn't be stained!

[Josh Bowman]

Well this is the end of my 3rd hollow form and my first face grain attempt. For the most part the Monster hollowing system did me good. I decided to make the grain pop with some cherry stain (we just did a kitchen remodel and this stain is the closest to our maple cabinets). Well spalted maple just doesn't seem a candidate for this stain The wood became muddy. It about 8" by 4" and very thin. Any advice or criticism will be welcomed.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Josh - congrats on your 3rd hollow form! That is some real pretty wood!

My personal experience with stain is that I don't like it. The color is all pigment and that will hide the grain more than enhance it.

About the only suggestion to even out the coloring is to sand it all down to bare wood and then use a dye - if you feel the need for color.

[Allen Neighbors]

Third hollow form? Much better than my third!!
I ditto what Steve said... Dye is better than stain... IMO.

[David E Keller]

Pretty nice work you did there. It looks like the stain has settled in the end grain area of the form... I'm with the others on sanding it down. You may be able to hold it reversed on a chuck with the jaws in expansion mode(lightly) and use a blunt live center from the tail stock side for support so that you can power sand. Even oil finishes will look muddy sometimes on spalted wood. I usually use shellac as a base for soft and spalted woods.

[Sean Hughto]

I've had good luck in the flat world using this stuff on maple to pop the grain:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...at=1,190,42942

From the pics (which can be very misleading on turned objects from my experience) I find the top curve a bit too conical - it makes me wonder what it would look like either flatter or more hemispherical. Just a thought that popped into my head; I'm no expert. Great for a 3rd effort!

[John Keeton]

Josh, generally maple and stain just do not go together at all. It rarely will take stain as one would hope, and the effect you achieved is typical. Dye is the only predictable way to add color to maple.

On the wood you have, BLO and shellac will do a lot - you will achieve a much deeper, warmer look I think.

[Josh Bowman]

Never thought of using dye. Will it settle as David said in the end grain of spalted wood? As far as fixing this one, It was fire wood before and it could be kindling now. I'm moving on.....time to try dye on a new piece! Thanks.

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a good looking HF. I am like Steve in that I don't like stain because it does not enhance the grain or character of the wood.

[Mark Hubl]

Nice looking form. Sorry about the stain. I have found that on spalty stuff I don't even like to oil it. Since it usually will have some softer real absorbent spots what ever I have put on tends to muddy it up. My choice on this type of wood is lacquer. Very workable and it does not muddy it up. IMHO it tends to enhance the spalty stuff.