Should staining be the last step before starting the epoxy process? In my opinion, yes.

I can't answer your question about masking area of the wood. I haven't tried it. My guess is that if your masking tape is not very tight, the stain will bleed under it

On the other hand I am not sure I would blend natural and stained wood again. The combing I made will look good when it is varnished. However, next to the natural wood, the natural wood simply looks well more natural.

As I said earlier on my next boat (a Coho) I am considering laminating a darker wood like redwood to make the combing. I think the nature wood colors will compliment each other better than staining. Nick has a nice discussion on appliques in his book. This might also be a better alternative to staining.

I might even consider accent paints. For example picture a paint line on the deck shear panel. Start the line at about 1.5 inches wide in the center and feather it at the same ratio that the panel width for and aft. Probably tedious but it would look great. On a stripper it would be more practical ( and better looking) to do the same effect with a contrasting wood.

Don

> So on a stripper or s&g or whatever, all the sanding and assembling should
> be done first? If you wish to control the area of staining and therefore
> use a masking agent(masking tape any others?), do you think you could w/ a
> water based stain? or would it travel slightly in the sanding marks or
> grain or strip joints? So if you anticipate putting on a sealer coat,
> would it make sense to mask that and use the sealer coat as the real mask
> for eventual staining? Grasping at straws?

> -mike