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First wipe the wood with mineral spirits to remove the dust, use paper towels and use as many as necessary to remove all the dust,dirt,etc.This will also highlight any glue (if any used) not completely removed. Pine like cherry,maple,poplar et.al. doesn't take stain well,it tends to get blotchy. If you want info on ways to finish pine,facts not advertising hype,write again after the wood is cleaned.

regards
jerry

OK Jerry spill the beans (stain) on ways to finish pine..... minus the advertising hype..... We all want to know!

Ed

 

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And now for a desenting view.... and I'm not saying these other people are wrong.... the fact is I differ with what they are saying. I always enjoy looking at things that were made by hand 100, 200, 400 years ago. I like to look at the joints they use.... the wood they used.... the finish and just how well did their work hold up. I especially like older pine things as they are a "soft" wood and as such many of them did not survive... but those that did!

I guess those old guys that use to use 20" wide pine for chests etc knew something we don't? I have many things I've made using 10" and 12" pine and have not seen that much of a problem..... (some of them are in excess of 30 years old now) now having said that if I were making a table top or such I would revert to ripping and gluing but for a shelf I would not. If I were intending to do a glue-up I would tend to buy smaller stock to start with..... but that is just me.

One of the reasons I don't like the "glue-up" is I like a natural finish.... I actual like the grain and pattern in the wood as the tree grew it. If you put on clear stain the glue up just looks like a glue up..... If I were to paint it then it would be an option.

It also depends on the grade of the pine, how it was dried (if it was dried well enough), now many knots.... is it already twisted/warped/bowed. If you go to the local building center and look the cheapest pine you can find and then work your way up to the expensive stuff you will see what I mean.

How ever you decide to do it enjoy the woodworking along the way.... remember it's all fine woodworking until some one decides it's kindling...

Ed