Stain can look REALLY gross

I like the one you called "awful". I think it looks pretty cool

The accentuated look of the grain from the Gel stain, is EXACTLY what I am looking for in my countertop I am working on. I know you don't like it, but I like the tone difference in the wood. It makes it more "lively" than a solid finish IMO. Thank you so much for this video!!!

'Gel based accentuated the growth rings in a pretty darn ugly way' That was EXACTLY the look I want for my retro 70's look recording studio thanks for the tip haha!

I actually prefer the accentuated grain finish. It’s adds some depth and detail that I think can be a really neat feature.

I strongly prefer the accented grain. To me, that's half the point of staining, to make it "pop" and highlight the fact that I've gone to the expense and effort of using real wood, not OSB with a plastic veneer over it. The last thing in the world I would want, is to make the wood look less like wood.

I use gel stain specifically because it accentuates the growth rings, and I love that look.

Love the humor. You're crushing it with these videos!!!

I liked the second one most of all. The final version just looked very Ikea to me. Really cool seeing how different techniques end in different results!

It's remarkable how good youve made this construction lumber look. I sincerely didn't think it could turn out like this.

I have stained a ton of clear pine from home stores with gel stains and it works extremely well as you demonstrated to avoid blotching. If you run into areas where you do not wipe off the stain fast enough, sometimes you can reapply the stain, which tends to reactivate the dried area and wipe it back off. This doesn't always work but it is a lot faster than sanding back to bare wood when it does. I have also had great luck spraying water based top coats (sanding between coats) to get a quick build up finish. This helps avoid the overlapping challenges you mentioned.

Another great video Scott. It's interesting to see some fine furniture level work being done on construction lumber. Keep up the good work.

I'm really enjoying your videos, Scott. Great information but presented with humour, which keeps it interesting. Thanks!

Your videos are just great. Love the personality you bring along with really trying to be entertaining and informative. Keep up the great work!

Awesome and well presented as always Scott! Loving all those comedy clips, absolute bonus 🤙🏻

For a newbie like me, this is a great video! And I think I will master ONE type of stain/finish way before jumping to another, many details in each. Great job and keep your supporting actress in front of the camera! Great duo!

Very good video! My husband and I are full time carpenters and I absolutely loved this. I like to play with stains and finishes to get the results the customer wants. This is very informative and helpful! Keep up the good work. Thank you!!!

Appearance is subjective. I like to see the wood grain, and the splotchy areas. I think it makes the wood more interesting to view. Your work is excellent, it looks factory made.

I appreciate the info as well as the humor. I was cracking up at a few parts.

The water + oil finish is soooo good! It makes the cheap lumber looks so nice.

Lots of great information in this video. I need to watch it again and take notes. Great job Scott