Cherry Finish For Poplar - Conclusion

The Dye Job

Here we are, sprayed with 5 light coats, very light, a mist is a better way of describing, of Gemini NGR Equalizer Dye. Keep the gun moving trying not to spray too heavy. The first few coats looked awful coverage wasn’t very good (didn’t want to blotch). After 3 coats things get better and I was breathing a little easier. Now that the table base was done, time to spray the top. However, while spraying the top, I encountered a problem with the gun. Thinking I had run out of dye I looked into the cup and could see all kinds of grunge mixed in with a ½ full cup of dye. I poured off the cup and removed my cup to examine the gun’s plastic filter and it was plugged. I then discovered my paper filter (paint strainer) screen had partially detached from the paper funnel. Apparently, after using the filter over three (3) consecutive times, the NGR Dye had a reaction with the adhesive holding the filters mesh to the filter cone. Oops, they were latex paint filters. Anyhow, I had to sand back just a little and reapply a few light coats to even things out.

Spray The Oil Stain

Now remember my test board, all the love I put into that thing. That folks was a perfect world. Remember, this project was previously finished with dye and stain and 5 coats of poly.

Ok, here's the deal, its 88 degrees outside with the sun baking my garage and no breeze and humid as hell. So with my gun loaded with the Gemini Black Cherry oil stain I began to spray my first of two planed coats (remember the test board had 2 coats only of Gemini Black Cherry oil stain). Well you can just take that test board a chuck it out the window. As I was spraying my stain, it was dry before it even hit the wood (well pretty close to it anyway). By the time I was done the top was so much darker than the base and looked like crap.

Due to the hot weather, I had no working time! So I washed the entire table down with mineral spirits removing the stain. let it dry over night and hit it again in the morning when it was cooler.






Finally, you have to know when to stop! I love the color of my table and will not be using the General Finishes water based dye as my test board. I could probably lock down my color with shellac or something else and keep going, but that’s it folks I’m stopping with my color right here and don’t want to muddy it up for just a little more brown... I LIKE IT JUST THE WAY IT IS AND DAMN DOES IT LOOK GOOD.