Ready for stain?
This is the desktop for a homemade standing desk. The steel frame was made by my son, Hagan; I'm responsible for the top. This is red oak wood from Dvorak timber in Iowa (thanks Uncle Kent!).
As of this moment I plan to stain it with Minwax "Gunstock 231" stain. I think it will emphasize the wood grain and the red hue of the red oak. That's my hope, anyway.
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I have a bit more sanding to do before staining, though, but it's super close.
POLL (answer in comments section below): Is it worth my time and money to use a pre-stain wood conditioner? I've never used it before, but recently I saw it recommended on This Old House, so that adds a bit of legitimacy to the idea (at least to me). What do you think?
Also, huge shout out to my across-the-street neighbor, Jacob, for donating his tools and time to help me get the boards joined with biscuits, then cut to the size I wanted, and finally rounding the edges with his router. [TODO: add table saw, biscuit joiner, pipe clamps, and a router to my wish list ... DONE!]
