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Just realized how much I miss the old-school stain mixing days
Tbh, I was cleaning out the back of my shop in Springfield and found a box of handwritten stain formulas from the early 2000s. One week in '05, a client wanted a perfect match for a 100-year-old oak table they'd found, and I spent three full days mixing tiny batches from raw pigments. Honestly, getting that color right felt like a bigger win than any job I've done since with pre-mixed cans. Anyone else have a project that just felt more satisfying back when everything was more hands-on?
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wendyprice2mo ago
My buddy still talks about the custom stain he mixed for his first real job.
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young.nora2mo ago
Remember thinking custom finishes were just a fancy upsell until I saw @wendyprice's post. That kind of pride in a specific mix, something you made just right, isn't about the money. It's the proof you actually know your stuff. It turns a normal job into your signature. Changed how I see the whole trade, honestly.
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