I’m planning a V carve project on either oak or cherry. My idea is to mask off the board before carving. It seems I can find a lot of how-tos with people using paint. But I want to do something a little different. I want to use black stain. I can’t find any how-tos on using stain instead of paint. I want to coat the finished board with mineral oil (I like the non-toxic aspect). So, I don’t really want to use shellac to seal because I don’t want to have to sand that off after I stain. My thought is to use the pre-stain conditioner before masking which should be easier to sand before applying oil. Is this the right approach? I think the stain will last longer than paint and I like the idea of being able to still see some of the grain. Has anyone ever used wood conditioner before stain like this on a carve? Any tips?
I was uninspired by the conditioner with the last project I did.
Shellac is thin and easy to sand so I wouldn’t worry about that. I would be more worried about your masking material sticking to the stained surface. It may need a good while to dry before the adhesive will stick. Or do I have your intent reversed?
So the idea is wipe conditioner over the entire board, mask, carve, then only use the stain in the carve pockets (not on the board surface). Then peel the mask and do final light sanding to remove any conditioner. Then apply mineral oil to the entire board.
You may run into a stain bleeding issue when you stain the V-carve. I would test it on scrap first.
The stain will likely halo as @Ed.E suggested. @CullenS suggested shellac and I use that often to keep paint from bleeding. I think you might be better off painting over staining. You wont know until you try but I think you are likely to fail with stain. I use Zinsser Universal Sanding Sealer (dewaxed shellac) to seal things and usually apply 2 coats. It dries very fast. Masking may or may not work. Often Oramask or adhesive shelf paper will fray and tear around the edges exposing the parts you want to keep the stain off. Again you wont know until you try but masking is likely to not produce a perfect seal around the edges of your carving.
If you use paint you can just sand off the over spray and the part inside the carving will not be affected. Let us know what you do and if any of the above works. Good Luck.
Thanks, guys. I’ll do some experimenting tonight and see how it goes.
I thought shellac was non-toxic; isn’t that the “candy coating” on M&Ms? or, have I been mislead all these years?
I’m not sure. I just like applying oil to an unfinished hardwood board like this. It’s easy to deal with and if I gift or sell the item the owner can touch it up easily.
I am still not clear on your intent.
What are you using for masking?
When do you want to apply the stain? Before or after carving?
Using Oramask. Stain applied after carving
It seems you are going to stain the lettering or object you are V-carving correct?
If staining, you need to seal the carving before staining or it can get wicked up by the capillary action of the wood grain itself. This can be done with epoxy or something as simple as Elmers Wood glue. Most common use for the Oramask is to apply, carve and then paint the carve (spray is an option that minimizes grain wicking, especially if clear is used) then remove the mask after.
Usually the conditioner is used as a pre-stain and helps with the stain application itself so if you’re not staining the entire board surface it does not need the conditioner.
If I’m using stain, epoxy or paint (other than a spray) in a carved area I seal it first to prevent wicking which is exactly what stain is designed for.
I have cut out a 1/4 section sample. With my idea of conditioner, mask, carve, stain in the carve, peel mask, sand with 220, the outcome worked very well. Even after peeling before final touch up sanding on the surface there was very little bleed out. I’m very happy with that process. I’ll post the final product once I get it done. I tried it on cherry for the test piece. I want to cut a full size on red oak to compare. I have one to donate to a local race for cancer silent auction later this month. I’m curious if I’ll like oak or cherry better. I’ll post both and see what you guys think. Thanks everyone for your feedback!
You should run a test cut in the oak before you commit the large piece. Different grain works differently with stains.
If you are happy with the results that’s really all that matters.
Don’t be afraid to try shellac though. It’s fast and easy and thin. You can even then it more if you don’t like the viscosity from the can.
Shellac is not like polyurethane.
I’ve used shellac before in other projects. I’m just not sure I need to use it here. Thanks!