Finally finished my first project of 2023, a butterfly leaf dining table. I take time off from hardcore woodworking from Thanksgiving to after the new year, due to many family activities, holiday dinners at our house, and just general assisting with family function preparations. This project is a new butterfly leaf dining table for my wife, something she has been waiting for because prior projects requested by my children and grandchildren seemed to take precedence. The build on this was somewhat fast, but the finishing gave became a nightmare, almost to the point that I was going to give up woodworking & buy a table instead. First off, I tried to color match the table to an existing buffet. Using both liquid & powder dyes, I mixed multiple various colors, even put some on the table. In short, I didn't like any of the colors produced and removed them. Fortunately, I used water-based dyes, and removal was a combination of wiping off as much as possible with water-soaked rags & sanding. In addition, I also resorted to scraping at times. The final solution was one single dye color, no color mixing. Not a good match to the buffet, but acceptable to the new owner. Secondly, as most of you know, maple tends to blotch. Pre-stain conditioner made the wood too light. Went round & around again on this, ended again with what the new owner was happy with. Normally on most of my projects I just finish with Arm-R-Seal, and let the beauty of the wood shine through.
The build part of this project was much easier that I originally thought, and the butterfly leaf portion of design & build were no problem in the end.
From this build I learned to NEVER try to color match again, just pick the closest dye or stain & stick with it. As for blotching, well from what I've viewed on YouTube by experts & amateurs alike, you can't stop all blotching with natural wood, Unless, you avoid coloring the wood itself, and put a dye in the finish to color over the natural color of the wood. This is what I discovered was done by the manufacturer of the old table, by a reputable furniture supplier, when I took it apart.
