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Has anyone used Charles Neil's Pre-Color Conditioner to help prevent blotching when staining or dyeing cherry? I watched his you tube video and the results seemed quite impressive. I know some people apply a brush coat of thinned shellac prior to staining/dyeing. Neil's product worked well to eliminate blotching while also allowing the cherry to accept the color of the water based dye or stain. I've read a thinned coat of shellac sometimes blocks the coloring of stain or dye. What do you think?
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I have read nothing but praise about his blotch control, but in the end I think it's simply another version of the same thing (a sealer to keep the grain absorbing color evenly). Just my opinion, and I've never used it.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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I have used it and it works exactly like he says. Highly recommended. Following his lead, I used it under GF water based dye stain and then finished with Arm-R-Seal. Couldn't be happier. When my daughter got married 3 years I go, I built a solid cherry Jewish wedding canopy, but didn't have time for the cherry to darken. It was a little light for my taste, so I decided to stain it.
Because of how it works, I was worried that the blotch control stuff would mask the figure, but it didn't. I had never made anything this big or anything that has been seen by that many people. I knew that the craftsmanship was going to be amateurish (because I was making it) and desperately needed the wood to be the star. Charles Neil helped make that happen. So did John TenEyck, who walked me through my first time using Arm-R-Seal.
I have read that there are homemade brews that work as well, but I will never stain cherry without the stuff from Charles. I am a huge fan.
Charles Neil is also a great resource. I contacted him directly for some advice and he was very generous with his time. Great advice about process and even what colors he likes to accentuate the cherry. Highly recommend him and the product.
Good luck. Post pictures.
Steve
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I've used it a couple of times on cherry and it works well. Never had a use for it on anything else.
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It works well. I've used it on 4 Hope Chests, 2 cherry - 2 curly maple. NO blotching. Very, very pleased.
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Thank you for the responses. You told me just what I wanted to hear. I read many positive reviews of this product. That being said, I never buy any woodworking product until I read what the folks on Woodnet have to say. I just finished placing my order.
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I have not tried his W/B blotch preventive. Looks interesting.
I still tend to use oil stain, and that expensive "pre-stain conditioner (oil)" is just solvent, some fine silica, and some boiled linseed oil. I make it myself (without the silica).
I have also uses a thin shellac wash, quickly wiped of any puddles.
Thanks for the resource.
"By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day."
-- Robert Frost
