I originally posted this list, from the class I teach, on the WOOD forum.   Thought you might find it interesting.   I had a friend from the woodworking club come over this afternoon to have me help him color match a new to an old piece.  He had tried a variety of dyes and mixture of dyes without success. A quick wipe with burnt umber glaze got him real close.

 

1.  When you pick any finish, you select an attribute or two you want and you get all the other attributes that come along with that choice.  There is no finish that's perfect for every need.
   * Color or lack thereof
   * Resistance to abrasion, UV, water, other chemicals, heat
   * Ability to apply with your skill level -- spray, brush, or wipe
   * Ability to apply in your in your environment -- fumes, dustiness, temperature, humidity
   * Time to complete finishing -- number of coats, time for each coat to apply and dry,  and time between coats
   * Repairability
   * Gloss level
   * Film thickness
   * Hardness
   * Chatoyance
   * Cost
   * Availability
   * Compatibility with existing finish, if any
    
2. Don’t let anyone describe a color to you using words alone.
   • Just what exactly does Golden Oak,  Medium Walnut, or kinda reddish, but not too dark mean?
3. When you are using a new product or technique always do trials / samples
   • Steps in the process Step board
   • Alternate options Which works better?
   • Scrap is cheaper and easier than starting over.   Most finishing errors can be un-done with stripping
4. Wood coloring is like onions, in two ways.
   • Shrek
     Shrek : Ogres are like onions
     Donkey: They stink?
     Shreck: Yes. NO!
     Donkey: They make you cry?
     Shrek: NO!
     Donkey: Oh, you leave’em out in the sun, they get all brown, start sproutin’ little white hairs?
     Shrek: NO. Layers. Onions have layers. Ogers haveLayers. You get it? We both have layers [sighs]
     Donkey: On, you both have layers. Oh. You know, not everybody like onions.
   • Making soup
     It’s a lot easier to add more onions than it is to remove too much onion.
5. Be wary of any advice from someone wearing an apron in the paint department
   * Enough said.   They may know paint but that doesn't mean they know wood finishing.
    
6. Coloring wood is more like Sailing a boat than shooting a rifle
   * Tiny steps with adjustments along the way.  Base stains (pigment and/or dye) get you to the right church, glazes and toners get you to the right pew

 

 

Great info Keith!  Thanks for the post

Thanks Keith! This is easier than trying to find it on WOOD, coping and saving!

Great information, Keith! I especially like #5!