Tip O' the Day from the Village Idiot

[Rick Potter]

Another REALLY simple one (consider the source).

If you make a shelving unit or cabinet with adjustable shelves, how do you stain the inside of the shelf pin holes?

The obvious answer is to use Q-tips, but my tip is to do it AFTER putting the seal coat of finish on the project. This way you won't have splotches around the holes,where you might have left the stain on too long before wiping it off.

This may not work if you spray, and get finish in the holes. I wipe or brush.

Each end of a Q-tip is only good for about three holes, but at 99 cents for 525 of them, who cares?

Rick Potter

PS: If anyone has a better way, I would love to hear it.

[Jim Matthews]

You stain the holes?

Whatever for?

[David Larsen]

I usually flip the piece so that I can soak the hole with enough stain to color it. Then when it gets flipped back up and you just watch for runs if you get it too wet, but a few wipes usually takes care of it. I have tried the Q-tip thing, but it is slow and tedious. I even tried a small brush and that too was too slow. I do prefer to stain them vs. leaving them unfinished.

[John Piwaron]

The last time I built a project with holes for adjustable shelves, I used metal sleeves from Rockler to fill them. They also have some very nice looking shelf supports to match. Overall, I'm happy with the finished appearance. And don't have worry that the holes may become damaged or look "rough"

[Lee Schierer]

Each end of a Q-tip is only good for about three holes, but at 99 cents for 525 of them, who cares?

If you rotate the Q-tip as you insert it and withdraw it in the direction of the cotton wrap you can get quite a few more holes out of each one. Personally I only use one end as I don't like the stain coming off on my gloves from the used end..... they are cheap after all. I do the holes before staining the surface and do half a dozen or so at a time before wiping off the excess on the surface. When I stain the surface wood, the new stain will soften and blend in any residue on the surface.

[Jerome Hanby]

Same here. Although I've found a much cheaper source. Don't recall the company, but once I figured out what to google for, they popped right up. I like the look of the brass and the small lip hides a multitude of sins...

The last time I built a project with holes for adjustable shelves, I used metal sleeves from Rockler to fill them. They also have some very nice looking shelf supports to match. Overall, I'm happy with the finished appearance. And don't have worry that the holes may become damaged or look "rough"

[James Patrick]

You stain the holes?

Whatever for?

I'd like to second this question.

[Myk Rian]

You stain the holes to hide them when a shelf isn't at that level.
Makes perfect sense to me.

[Rick Potter]

Jim and James,

Right now, I am building a kitchen for my home, and using oak plywood for the interior walls on the cabinets with glass doors. The cabinets with solid doors get pre-finished birch inside walls. I stain the oak plywood inside the glass door cabinets with a dark oak finish, just like the outside. If I don't stain these holes they really show up. My wife took one look and asked if I was staining the holes. My answer... "Of course I am, honey, whatever you want". Been married a long time.

Question answered?

Rick P

[Jim Matthews]

That makes perfect sense.

Both parts, the stain and answering to SWMBO.

jim

[Greg Portland]

You stain the holes to hide them when a shelf isn't at that level.
Makes perfect sense to me.

When your finish is dark (either dark wood or dark stain) the holes -really- pop out because the interior plywood veneers are light colors (poplar, etc.). After finishing, I wax the surface and then use the Q-tip + a black transtint dye (water base). The water doesn't soak into the wax so I can quickly dab the hole & then wipe the surface clean.

[Callan Campbell]

Jim and James,

Right now, I am building a kitchen for my home, and using oak plywood for the interior walls on the cabinets with glass doors. The cabinets with solid doors get pre-finished birch inside walls. I stain the oak plywood inside the glass door cabinets with a dark oak finish, just like the outside. If I don't stain these holes they really show up. My wife took one look and asked if I was staining the holes. My answer... "Of course I am, honey, whatever you want". Been married a long time.

Question answered?

Rick P

Yes SIRRRRRRR, question answered!!!! Too Funny, I almost fell over with laughter Rick..