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Used to mix stain by eye every time
Ten years ago I'd just eyeball and guess the ratios on every job. Then I screwed up a $3,000 dining set for a client in Portland because the color didn't match the sample. How do you guys keep your stain batches consistent from one project to the next?
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luna5505mo ago
casey_torres60 the photo thing is tricky for sure, I tried that too and got burned on a warm oak floor job. What changed my mind was a painter buddy who talked me into using a digital color reader. It's this little gadget you hold up to the sample and it gives you exact mixing instructions in percentages. I was skeptical at first because I prided myself on that eyeball skill, but after one big mistake on a pricey custom table I bought one. Now I take a reading off the original stain can or the actual wood piece, write down the numbers in a notebook I keep in the shop, and mix by weight on a cheap postal scale. It sounds fussy but it's saved me so many headaches and that client lost trust is almost impossible to earn back.
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casey_torres605mo ago
Yeah I started taking photos of the stain with my phone for reference but lighting changes everything.
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