stain issues

[T Folts]

I put minwax stain on a maple riser I made and it came out like crap. Blotchy and uneven. I sanded the riser all the way up to 400 grit and thought it was nice and even but when I put on the stain and rubbed it off it was uneven, different shades in different area, the contours took the stain different than the flat areas. I have sanded it back down but I have little specs in the grain where it penetrated. What can I do to get a good even stain???? Help
Thanks
Terry

[PEARL DRUMS]

Maybe a pre-stain filler/conditioner would help even it out? Minwax make several types I have seen. The can label says that it helps just what your describing.

[jess stuart]

Might give aniline dye a try, I have used it on maple a few times with good results.

[T Folts]

I picked up some pre-stain wood conditioner from the hardware store I'm gonna give a try. Thks
Terry

[T Folts]

Well that didnt work as good as I wanted so I guess I'll have to paint the riser. I plan on using it for bow fishing so it dont have to be pretty but I want it to look good. My limbs have zebra wood veneers with bubinga wedges and caps.
What do any of you suggest for paint. I thought about having it camo dipped but its kinda pricey.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I've used Red Oak Miniwax stain on Osage several times and it won't penetrate the ring side of the bow, only the belly side where the grain is exposed. I kinda like the lighter and darker areas coming together. The red oak stain brings out the natural orange and brown in Osage really well. I just wipe it on and use a dry rag to wipe off the excess and it is what it is. In your case dye may be a better option?

I don't know what kind of paint would look good on a wood bow, I've never had the desire to put paint over wood it just seems wrong to cover it up. Maybe you could post a pic of what ya got right now so we can see what your dealing with?
Pictures speak a 1,000 words.

Here's what the red oak minwax looks like on the belly of an osage bow I just completed. I love how it makes the grain pop out and tones down the bright yellow just a bit and gives it more of an orange brown color more like aged osage looks.

 

In this pic of the back you can see that it does almost nothing at all to penetrate the ring side.

 

[vanillabear?]

[don s]

maple is a very tough wood to stain due to it's tight grain structure. it doesn't always take stain evenly. when you apply it and then wipe it off. you very often find that it all just wiped right off. what you can try is a technique called dry brushing. take a brush and dip the tips in the stain. wipe the brush on a piece of scrap wood or paper. get most of the stain off the brush. then brush the maple riser with the little thats left on the brush the same way that a women applies blush too her cheeks. i know it may sound stupid but it but it's the only way i can describe what i mean. when you brush it on the maple in this way, it won't leave streaks or brush marks. you need to use a spray on finish. if you try to brush or wipe on a finish, it will just reactivate the stain and make a mess. practice on a scrap piece of maple first. don