The Class Act Aquarium Stand

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Let me know if you need help running a sander or operating a paintbrush. I need to build a few test doors and a router table would be so much faster than setting up the table saw again.

Thanks for the offer. Also if you need help building those test doors let me know. I can always get the shop cleaned up and let you have at it with the router table. Just can't do raised panels with a horizontal bit yet. :D
 
Alex,

I need to invite you over at some point as I have a bunch of furniture related problems. It starts with two colors (light oak/rattlecan black) and at least 3 different furniture styles.

I will be doing a big shuffle so so this is an opportunity to make some things match up and be cohesive. I like the 2X4 stand for piece of mind over the acrylic but always get stuck on the doors and skins. I also have to figure out if I am building this as furniture (pocket hole jig) or rough framing.

Once I have a plan I can start collecting parts but right now I have more questions than answers!

-Paul
 
Thanks for the kind words. I am hoping to have some color on this thing by the weeks end. Did about 4+ hours of sanding work today, so it's getting cloe. Guess you could say the holiday's set me back a few days. :D

Cheers,
Alex
 
Finally the day has come... Color is now being applied to the stand. Decided to snap a quick shot after doing the top ledge. Took about a half an hour for the color and blend application to the top ledge there.

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COLOR is now DONE!!! :peace:

The color will actually POP better once I have the top coat / finish coat applied. But for now there is color on the stand after 5+ hours of work.

Cheers,
Alex

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That is absolutely beautiful.....I need my kitchen cabinets replaced. Let me know when your up for it!:wink:

Oh my bathroom cabinets too

Really Nice Work Alex.
 
That thing must have been a PITA to stain with all those nook and crannies! Looks great
 
HELP!!!

So here we are. Last night I showed the stand all stained and dyed to my wife. She says good job, But you have a couple of areas on the ledge that are lighter than everywhere else. Well I went and attemted to darken the area this morning and before I go and screw it up any more I am hoping to get some advise from some of the wood gurus out here.

Should I just leave it and attempt to darken it with the top coat? Or should I put more stain/dye on and let it soak in longer? Or will I need to sand the top ledge down and restart?

Cheers,
Alex

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I do like the color, its going to look deadly when its glossed up a bit. On the lighter spots you can try to darken it but its a bit tough, you have to try and leave a little more stain in those areas and then pat dry to blend it in to the balance. I would say just go for it, the worst thing that can happen is to have to sand it and start over on it.

Good luck
 
Looks amazing Alex!!! I know with the few pieces of wood I've stained some areas just wouldn't stain exactly like the others and if it isn't off too much I think it makes it look all the more natural. Just a thought. I can't view the pics in depth as I am viewing from my iPhone but will check them out again when I get to a pc to see if I can actually see the areas you are talking about. :)
 
Id put some more stain on it and let it set for 15-20 minutes to see if that helps. If not, do as Mojo said and put stain on it and dont wipe it off so thoroughly. This could be caused from either wood characteristics or it was sanded a little bit better there than the rest of the peice sealing the pores and not letting it stain as dark. When Im prepping for stain I try not to sand too heavily to bring the wood to a fine smooth finish. I leave it a tiny bit rough to insure even staining, then apply two coats of varnish to seal it, sand it smooth and then finish varnishing with another couple light coats. Ive had my best luck with custom work following this method. Every time I went nuts presanding and then wiping with a tack cloth, I ended up sanding it down after a couple coats anyway. I dont even waste my time with tack cloths anymore. I blow it off with the compressor and I'm on my way to varnishing. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the help and ideas everyone.

At this point I have tested something out. Considering I used a water-based stain and dye, I went ahead and wiped the whole ledge piece down with a damped cloth with water. Lightened the whole ledge up. Now what I will do is go over the ledge piece with the stain and dye again and try to blend it in. If this does not work I'll go ahead with resanding the top ledge down and refinish that section.

Not to much of a pain, just a setback and headache. I did do a lot of pre finish sanding on the whole piece and for some reason just that one area didn't take the stain all to well. Could be worst, at least I can still sand it down at this point as there is no sealer coat on it yet. :redface:

Here's a photo showing the area in detail after I wiped it down with water. Now if everything works like I would have it, I will not have to sand anything down. Either way once it is restained and uniform I am leaving it. And as one mentioned, it will just give the piece some character. :D

Cheers,
Alex

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Every time I went nuts presanding and then wiping with a tack cloth, I ended up sanding it down after a couple coats anyway. I dont even waste my time with tack cloths anymore. I blow it off with the compressor and I'm on my way to varnishing. Good luck.

THx Duane. Yeah I did go nuts on the sanding with this piece. Down to 600 grit. And I agree with tack cloths, toss them out and just blow the piece off and then wipe it down with some mineral spirits. The wipe down with mineral spirits helps to show where the stain or dye may soak in more or less in different areas. In theory anyways.
 
I guess if you consider I fixed the very first staining project of mine this should be cake walk. That one was birch plywood and I didn't know what the heck I was doing there. :)

And that one didn't turn out half bad after some finessing the finish.

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