MOTM

--- In motm@y..., ixqy@a... wrote:
> There was a section on working with wood that mentioned that if 
> staining softer woods they may tend to blotch instead of giving a 
> uniform stain. The recommendation was to pre-treat it first with a 
> sealant and then staining it. 

Absolutely correct! I use MinWax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. It makes 
a big difference in evening out the color. If you'd like to see a 
pic, here's my finished (but now too small) 26U x 10U cab, made using 
the birch ply / veneer edge method. It has the pre-stain conditioner 
treatment, 2 coats of red oak stain, and 3 coats of polyurethane. My 
new case will have the exact same finish:

http://motm.retrosynth.com/moe_stuff/case_pics/Moe-cab-old.jpg

Moe