[Don_S]

I have a unique project and I need to pick out a stain. I see the names of the colors of the two brands are the same and I think the same company owns both brands. Which will be better for my project?

I need to stain regular walnut to be a lot more red and somewhat darker to pair (not match exactly) my Claro (California) walnut audio rack. I am considering having semi-custom speakers built and want the woods to be similar. I know they would never match completely.

I tried Minwax "Cherry" stain on the walnut but it was too thin and disappeared on the darker wood. Minwax "Red Mahogany" darkened the walnut in a good way but did not impart the red overtone I need.

Is Varathane a denser stain? I mean less transparent? There are too many colors to pick from to buy a can of each. I am sticking with brands available at Home Depot or Lowes to make it easy for my woodworker (and me). I am going to purchase another can or two to try based upon recommendations here. So far I only tried what I already had or could borrow from neighbors.

Note the picture. That is Claro walnut with CLEAR satin Osmo Polyx-Oil. The finished rack indoors away from bright sunlight is not that red but still not normal walnut brown. I will never match that color or the variations in the wood with English walnut but I do want to reduce the contrast. I know it is not normal to stain walnut. I like to make my problems unique. 

Suggestions for colors that might be better choices and information comparing the two brands would be appreciated. Surprisingly from videos online Minwax "Gunstock" looked promising. Varathane also has that color.

[WGH]

I have spent weeks making stain/finish samples but always on sample pieces of wood, not the actual project. If you don't have sample pieces of walnut then practice on the underside of the unit.

Stains can be mixed, mix red mahogany and a medium or dark walnut. Keep accurate notes written on the sample piece. Like 1/4 tsp red mahogany + 1/2 tsp walnut.
Note that the color changes when you apply the topcoat. Apply stain - wait 2 day to dry - apply top coat, repeat as necessary.

I rarely used Minwax stains because they don't have much pigment. You probably could have gotten a darker color using water based stains but this is a moot point now.
Since you already sealed the bottom shelf and part of the upright then a water based stain will not work over a oil based finish.

At this point even a oil based stain will not work on sealed wood, stain is formulated to be used on bare wood. You can try paint remover to remove the sealer (no you can't sand it off) but the sealed area will probably always stain lighter and never match the bare wood.

My suggestion is to continue finishing the entire piece with the clear satin Osmo Polyx-Oil, the walnut will darken with age. It is what it is.

[mresseguie]

Don,

I can't help with staining, but that sure is a nice looking rack. I can already see that it's going to be beautiful once it's finished. I look forward to your posting pics once it is done. 

[Don_S]

WGH,

The rack in the picture is not my project. It is finished. I am looking at stain for walnut for speakers I am considering having built. I only used that picture to show the dramatic color shift when applying a clear finish.

Here is the rack that will go between the new speakers I am considering. Both racks are built with the same wood and finished with Osmo. Again, I know I can't match exactly. I am just trying to reduce the contrast between the speakers and rack.

[mresseguie]

[WGH]

You can get more red in the stain by adding pigment. I buy tubes of Tints All at Ace Hardware. Look for Venetian Red.



The Sherwood BAC Wiping Stain - Chestnut is probably close, it is my favorite walnut stain. Impossible to find (Sherwood commercial paint supplier only), may be only available in gallons, highly toxic with Xylene, Naphtha, Methyl Ethyl Ketoxime.

The stain has lots of pigment, sets up quick but can take 2-4 days to dry enough to topcoat, but it sure is beautiful.

Walnut can also be darkened before staining with a mix of potassium dichromate in distilled water, about 1/2 tsp to 2 cups hot water. The mix is a strong oxidizer. Sand lightly after it dries because the water raised the grain.



As you see, lot of finish samples, lots of time to color match. With 40 years experience I could do it in a day. Maybe hire a professional if you want a match.

The walnut St. Remy Church entry with tympanum in Russia, Ohio I designed and made are stained with the Sherwood BAC Chestnut Wiping Stain

[bearman2]

I have done my share of woodworking and staining but nothing like that church entryway. That is beautiful.

[Don_S]

mresseguie, Thanks for rotating the photo. When the preview showed it rotated 90 degrees CW I went into my computer and made a copy rotated 90 degrees CCW. It still posted wrong. 

WGH, Awesome entrance.

[WGH]

Thanks guys.

A note about finish samples:

All the sample pieces have to be prepared and finished exactly the same as the project, any change in procedure will change the color.
That means the samples have to be sanded to your preferred smoothness, I sand to #320 grit
Stain mixes are meticulously measured and recorded, after a week you will forget which is which.
A couple of coats of your favorite topcoat and the sample is finished. A slow drying oil like Osmo Polyx-Oil may dissolve the stain pigments especially if red tint is added, the stain may take a week to dry in the winter.

Making finish samples is tedious, time consuming work but it needs to be done. The alternative is ruining your project and looking at the wrong color for years and years.

[mresseguie]

Geez, WGH.

Those doors make me want to buy some <identical> boards to slap onto a pair of speakers - any speakers just so long as they're inside my house! 

My wife might choke me if I tell her, "Honey, I just gotta do it - gotta!" 

Sigh.

Michael

[S Clark]

I think we all look at Wayne's work and just stand star struck.  On of these days I'm going to Arizona to buy something of his.  I may only be able to afford a mesquite paperweight but the quality is always breath taking.