Since no stain can color, penetrate, and protect in one coat, a sealer is required such as a wash coat of shellac, shellac mixing lacquer, thinned varnish, or lacquer to prevent the stain from being wiped off when handled, or from bleeding through the finish coat. As will be noted in the finishing schedule on page 330, the best practice includes a sealer over the stain, whether or not & filler with its accompanying sealer is to be employed. As previously explained, a sealer under the filler insures that the color in the latter will be contained in the pores instead of diffusing throughout the grain. The aniline powder stains are mixed on the basis of 1 oz. of powder to 1 qt. of solvent for a strong solution. All stains may be applied by spray, which in most cases is the ideal method. In addition, the penetration of the stain will be increased if it is applied warm. Water Stains. Water stains are cheap, penetrating, nonfading and brilliant. Their one drawback is that the water solvent raises the grain of the wood. To counteract this the usual procedure is first to sponge the wood lightly with warm water and, when it has dried to sand the raised grain smooth with 30 paper. Inasmuch as some of the pliant wood fuzz may be pressed down rather than cut off by this early sanding, many finishers prefer to apply the water stain first and, when the raised grain has dried out, spray it with a mist coat of shellac to give it a stiffness for the sanding. Water stain can be best applied with a spray gun unless the amateur finisher has acquired sufficient skill in its rapid application with a wide brush to avoid lap marks from uneven brushing. A final stroking with an empty brush along the grain will do much to unify a brushedon stain. End grain, unless protected with a thin coat of glue size, should either be wiped off immediately or sponged with water just before staining, in order to prevent excess darkening. The following table of approximate colors can be made up into stock solutions ш gallon bottles or quart jars, according to the frequency of anticipated use. In 33° FURNITURE MAKING AND CABINET WORK Approximate Water Stain Formulas (i gal) Dark Yellow Orange Red Blue Black Stain (oz.) (oz.) (oz.) (oz.) (oz.) Light red (Sheraton) mahogany - 3 г% У. _ Medium red mahogany у 1У2 12 - У Red mahogany - 2У 134 i - Dark red (Colonial) mahogany у 1У тУг - 1 Brown mahogany 1 4У - 1 - Light walnut - 3 У - I Medium walnut - 32 У - 12 Dark (American) walnut - зУ У - Light oak у 2 У - У - Dark oak У 2 У - У - Golden oak - 5 У У У - Honey maple 1 2У - У - mixing the stock colors the water should be hot but not boiling, and the dark colors added last. Various shades may be obtained by mixing measured samples of stock solutions; lighter shades of the same stock are obtained by adding water. Lacquer Finishing Schedule (Water Stain). 1. Sand with 40 garnet paper and dust. 2. Stain with water stain. Dry. 3. Spray shellac mist coat. Dry. 4.