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I'd like to mellow out the clear/plasticy look of the waterborne stuff. I'm wondering if a few drops of amber would help? Anybody try it, and if so, what kind and how much tint did you use?
Thanks.

Done that. Looks good.

_________________
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about a drop, maybe two of ColorTone stain, concentrated stuff, works fine, looks good. Very little goes a long way, and I only used it on the first few coats.

Of course, I also seal with shellac, which gives the wood that lovely deep glow that waterborne finishes, straight out the can, are pretty much worthless at.

ditto to the above.

Thanks, guys.

Do you seal back/sides as well as top with shellac? How many
coats of shellac do you use? Water base over shellac - no
problem? Thought I read on one of the previous posts that this
was not advisable. Appreciate some additional clarification as I
am getting ready to finish a build and want that golden tint that
shellac seems to provide

Yep, shellac everything. Back of the neck ONLY gets shellac/french polish finish, because it feels beautiful, on par with oil, and superior (IMO) to laquer.

Waterbase (Target USL/StewMac ColorTone) over shellac = no problem. Waterbase (KTM-9) over shellac, read a few conflicting reports, but probably more reports of no problems. I'll be testing on scrap, but I'm planning on using shellac as a sealcoat for the KTM I've got, at least for the top, maybe rough up the surface a little. Epoxy will wet out the the wood similarly to shellac.

Shellac is simple, can be slapped on at any time (as soon as the top is clean, level, slap some on for protection), dries fast, sands off easily. I usually seal with two or so wiped on coats (I use a paper towel, no need to get fancy), with the grain direction.

I have been using KTM 9 for over a year, Almost a year and a half. Always over shellac seal Coats. Never had an issue. I do lightly sand the seal coat prior to top coating.

The only issue I have ever ran into with shellac and WB at all was a test run I did. I had used shellac to tint the wood prior to pore filling, then pore filled with Zpoxy finish resin, seal coated with shellac and sprayed colortone WB. It peeled off but the problem was shellac under the zpoxy not with the shellac under the WB.

It turns out that shellac adhears well to epoxy but epoxy does not adhear well at all over shellac.MichaelP38708.4209143519

Tinting waterbase finishes works very well. Amber gives a very natural
warm look. Don't tint too heavily. It's best to use lightly tinted multiple
coats for a very even tone. When the color looks right, continue with
untinted coats to complete building the finish.
Craig

[QUOTE=Mattia Valente] Yep, shellac everything. Back of the neck ONLY gets shellac/french polish finish, because it feels beautiful, on par with oil, and superior (IMO) to laquer.

Waterbase (Target USL/StewMac ColorTone) over shellac = no problem. Waterbase (KTM-9) over shellac, read a few conflicting reports, but probably more reports of no problems. I'll be testing on scrap, but I'm planning on using shellac as a sealcoat for the KTM I've got, at least for the top, maybe rough up the surface a little. Epoxy will wet out the the wood similarly to shellac.

Shellac is simple, can be slapped on at any time (as soon as the top is clean, level, slap some on for protection), dries fast, sands off easily. I usually seal with two or so wiped on coats (I use a paper towel, no need to get fancy), with the grain direction.[/QUOTE]


I agree completely; shellac everything you won't put glue on, including insides. Dewaxed shellac is my favourite, I get better results with 90% alcohol instead of usual 95%.
Gg