Can you get stain sprays in little cans ?

[JDarvall]

Don't have a air compressor. And not planning on getting one.

But this fella I've made 20 sheilds up for out of silky oak(just award thingys they give the air cadets when they get their first pupes or something like that).....wants them too look professionally sprayed. Dark stain uno....mahogany colours etc.... like straight from the trophy shop.

I'm worried I won't get that affect by just rubbing the stuff in with a rag....

maybe a few cans I thought....just layer it up.....so any advice....can you get pre-mixed stains of verying types in regular small spray cans.

or should I think harder about getting a compressor .

ta.

[JDarvall]

Jeeeezus fellas.....I can't wait around all day.

Can you get it in BIG cans then .;)

[Auld Bassoon]

Mate!

Just wipe on some stain - if stain you must - then a light sand and wipe on either Danish Oil or MinWax's Wipe-On-Poly. Wiping works best with a clean soft cloth that is lint-free. This gives a quite good effect, and much metter than anything from an aerosol...

Ever tried uncle Neil's dye's - they're pretty good too.

[scooter]

Jake, what about putting a bit in yer mouth & going "ppppffffffffttttttt" :p

[JDarvall]

Jake, what about putting a bit in yer mouth & going "ppppffffffffttttttt" :p

:D you bet. worked for you has it. :D

Thanks Steve for your help (not YOU Sean :mad: ;) ) I've tried danish oil plenty, but not that wipe on poly. Haven't seen Neils stuff either.

Be honest with you....I'm a staining novice..... and not enjoying one bit. If I had my way, I'd just keep it simple and rub in some wax or oil....but no, he wants it too look like these other couple of sheilds he's given me,,,,,,, which were professionally made. Made by fellas smarter than myself....ie. cover cheapo pine with 10mm of stain and call it brazillian mahogony or something like that.

I've already tried feast&watson stain......only put on 2 coats so far....took forever wipping the buildup smoothly off the corners etc. And still not dark enough !......at this rate I'll need something like another 5 coats I'm guessing. Too slow.

Thats why I was thinking spraying it on and avoid all that fiddly wiping of buildup.....uniform application.

heres a pic of one of the sample sheilds amongst my lot.... that I'm suppose to make the same in colour ( or is it that tone ? :confused: ..whatever)....

Not much light....bit dark at nightime uno.

[tameriska]

Hi, noticed you said that you don't want to get a compressor, not sure if they still make them, or where to get them, but you used to be able to get an airless sprayer, little electric powered spraygun, they were ok for little jobs.

[soundman]

As I discovered spraying stain is a completely different process to master and the colours can look completely different to wiped or brushed results.
BUT
Spraying tinted laquer.... ahhh thats quick & controlable.

consider that for about $200 you can ge youself a cheap compressor and a respectable gun and a few bits to get you going.

Those cheap airless sprays were always a joke but even more so now compressors are soooo cheap.

cheers

[niksfree]

You can get smallcombination plastic spray head with plastic tank for paint and it fits an airosol can of compressed air this would do the trick but to get the effect your after will take some practice if you have never spraypainted before. I have seen these at automotive paint suppliers years ago were very good for a quick touch up.

[echnidna]

Have a look at airbrushes at someone like say Supercheap,
an airbrush can run from a compressor or an aerosol can

[Auld Bassoon]

Just take care not to apply too many coats of stain as the result will most likely be 'muddy' and very unattractive.

There's no getting away from the basic idea that the underlying timber will always look as it did unfinished, but a different hue. You can't make Crapiata look like Maple or Mahogany!

Perhaps a veneer might be the way to go, but if you haven't done this before, then perhaps not.

Just tell the customer to stump up for the real McCoy wood! :D

Cheers and good luck!

[soundman]

I have an air brush and unless you are laquering teiny wieny things like toy soldiers or lace bobins or something they are a bit light on and 20 or 30 mL of product wont go far.

If you are looking for a small gun a touch up gun is the go.
I have a couple of suction types but i am realy fond of my little gravity HVLP touch up at the moment.

realy dainty and works right up to the last drop of product but still holds about 100 150 mL or so. and uses very little air.

cheers

[conwood]

You can get spray cans clear gloss from carbatec and timbecon I think. These would the final finish. I think supacheap have similar products.

Get a compressor, they are so good for cleaning the work shop.

cheers,
conwood

[mag]

Soundman,

What tints do you use for your Lacquer?

I am using Wattyl Stylwood at the moment and would like to try tinting on a couple of pieces.


Mag

[Lignum]

Well no one has answered the question so i assume you can not get stain in a spraycan which is a shame as i have been wondering about that for years myself. Maybe Mr Wattyl is reading this and will give it some thought:)

[RETIRED]

I admit to never seeing stains in aerosol cans.

Jake. We used to make trophy bases and found the easiest quickest way to stain them was to dip them.

Wipe a few minutes after dipping and rack them on boards with nails (smaller the better) driven right through. This allows you to put them dowm and dry all over.

If the colour isn't "dense" enough, dip them again.

We always used Wattyl craftsman stain because it seems to penetrate better.

As others have suggested you can get clear lacquer in spray cans from Bunnings or craft supply shops.

One coat very lighty, sand with scouring pad and apply the second coat.

PS. Don't use the racks you have. It leaves a line across the stain.

[la Huerta]

just thought i's through my bit in...

i use vandyke crystals for staining and it gives a nice dark walnut sort of colour, much like what you see on antiques, you disolve it in water plus if you make a boo boo it's easy to wipe off and do again, and you can get it as dark as you like in one brushed coat, it does not go muddy like colourwood but gives a beautifull rich transparent colour ...then just clear coat it with spray cans..

as for your question...i'm pretty sure you can get spray stain/laquer , go to bunnings and have a look...

La H

[JDarvall]

Thanks for the replys and advice...... took all on board.

fear I may have made a mess of them already.....about a 1/3 of them seem to have some uneven stain.....hoping this will become less noticeable with more coats.....as it gets darker. Fear sanding back will just make them worse.

I like that nail and dipping ideas . so you mean, take the nail through the rack, and then into the back of the sheild, say 1/4" (not all the way through the sheild),,,,,,,,ok, since the back of the sheilds the unglamourous side. ?

My only concern with dipping is waste. Just a small run of them. Only, 1Lt can of stain. Wouldn't a lot of it go to waste in that dipping trough ? ..

The plan for the racks I made up, was......I cut em trianglular shaped, so the sheilds sit on just a thin line of stock......and then latter anyway, maybe plane the backs clean bring back the timber, and cleaning up all the unsightly buildup on near the underside edges ( and my finger print marks on the back.:rolleyes: )...then rub in with rag one coat into the back.....thats how the other sheilds looked. Heavily stained the good side....and on the back still very light. Pine.

I'll have to experiment I think. A few months before they wont them anyway. Where did you get your vandyke crystals la Huerta ?

Thanks :)

[la Huerta]

hey mate...

vandyke crystals from timbecon, i order from them all the time, very fast delivery

tried just about every stain on the market and this is the one i like best...

only thing i hav'nt tried is spraying tinted laquer, which from what i'v heard and seen is the best, but i'm yet to travel down that path...

La H

[RETIRED]

Thanks for the replys and advice...... took all on board.

fear I may have made a mess of them already.....about a 1/3 of them seem to have some uneven stain.....hoping this will become less noticeable with more coats.....as it gets darker. Fear sanding back will just make them worse.

I like that nail and dipping ideas . so you mean, take the nail through the rack, and then into the back of the sheild, say 1/4" (not all the way through the sheild),,,,,,,,ok, since the back of the sheilds the unglamourous side. ?
My only concern with dipping is waste. Just a small run of them. Only, 1Lt can of stain. Wouldn't a lot of it go to waste in that dipping trough ? ..

The plan for the racks I made up, was......I cut em trianglular shaped, so the sheilds sit on just a thin line of stock......and then latter anyway, maybe plane the backs clean bring back the timber, and cleaning up all the unsightly buildup on near the underside edges ( and my finger print marks on the back.:rolleyes: )...then rub in with rag one coat into the back.....thats how the other sheilds looked. Heavily stained the good side....and on the back still very light. Pine.

I'll have to experiment I think. A few months before they wont them anyway. Where did you get your vandyke crystals la Huerta ?

Thanks :)Drive the nail through scrap timber. Enough that the shield sits on three points.

[Harry72]

How far did you go in grades with sanding, if you want to stain a light coloured wood dark dont finish sand any more than 180grit!(oil stains are quickest for dark colours)
The higher you sand the less the stain has to bind into. I make crapiarta darker than mahogany in one coat, you need to use the finishing product to get a smooth finish sheen.(satin poly builds fastest then lacquer)

[JDarvall]

Ta Harry........I didn't know that about not finishing too much.

Good to know. Save on a bit of time too

So, which stain product do you use ? ......do you spray it on ?

[Harry72]

I been using oil based for most gear, mainly wattyl interior and Haymes simply wood.
No spray no point with oil based, brush it on use a rag to rub it into the grain then wipe off the excess with a clean rag.
The only prob with this type stain is your stuck with poly(that I know of?).
Are you darkening the edges in black?

[JDarvall]

Ta.....But when you rubed it into the grain and off again with a rag, do you find it takes too much off the darkness off ?....a lot of the stain ends up in the rag.....meaning more coats to get it as dark.

And no, I didn't darken the ends black....I noticed that on these professionally finished ones I've used as templates.......do you have to darken the sides first before applying the stain ? ....and what with.

Thanks mate. :)

[la Huerta]

yeh it's a bumer hey when most comes off on the rag...have had that problem a lot and so that's where the vandyke comes in, you don't rub it off, just keep brushing, i'll try and get a pic for you of the colour...


La H

[Harry72]

Yeah the rags end up with a lot of stain in them, after its rubbed off thats the darkest it will go... apply any more will only get it very slightly darker.(try adding some black?)
Are you stirring the stain every time you dip the brush, there is solids in dark oil stains, tap the rub rag on some white paper and you'll see it!
If you want it darker sand it again with a heavier grit, thats why you need to have a rough sanding because its what holds the stain.(holds the solids)
I never needed to go below 180... so its up to you.

I think the darkened edges are done by airbrush, cant really say as never done it, maybe some of the guys in the guitar forum may know?
I'd say the black is done after staining the main body it looks like its on top of the stain?, might be a risk of dragging the black into the brown.

[la Huerta]

black japan would be perfect for the sides.....

[JDarvall]

Thanks Harry.....so, coarser the final grit the deeper it penetrates.

No, I haven't been stiring all the time. Just once at the beginning. Better change that.

See what you mean with darkening the edges.....looks like an airbrush sort of thing from the sheild I have......But I would have thought you darken before not after.......but I don't know. Try that next time,,,,,,experiment with black japan, (thanks La Huerta) and those crystals.

Thanks guys. Much appreciate your advice.