TIL stain acts weird on certain wood fillers | Cabinetmakers - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals

Drew Williams · 2026-03-06T20:30:44.941583+00:00

Always do a test patch to prevent surprises.

Tbh, skipping the test patch can lead to more interesting results. Sometimes the unexpected reactions give the wood unique character. Embrace the surprises instead of trying to control everything.

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taylor_price6mo ago

I was reading this old woodworking book from 1978 that said the same thing. It argued the flaws tell the real story. Your comment reminds me of that.

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abby_brown6mo ago

Test patches save so much time in the long run (even if surprises can be fun sometimes). I'd rather know what I'm getting into before committing to a whole project.

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ivan_price35mo ago

My first big project I skipped the test patch on a pine table. The stain turned this weird greenish gray on the filler spots. I had to sand the whole top down again, which added like two extra days of work. I feel that pain of learning the hard way.

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