Idiot-proof stain or dye for unfinished wood?

[sparktone]

Can anyone recommend a good quality stain that would be easy to apply for someone who has zero woodworking experience?

I've seen Minwax mentioned in a number of posts, but I don't know if this is what I really need.

For what it's worth, I intend to apply Tru-Oil as a finishing coat, so whatever I use needs to be compatible with that.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[FBB Custom]

Do you need a stain? Is there a particular color you are looking for?

My experience is that many/most colored dyes don't work great with oil finishes.

[Hambone]

I've seen dyed bodies that have been TO'd well after the dye has absorbed and dried. They looked tremendous. I think that they were aniline dyes. You might try looking over on the MIMF for some more info on these combinations. They seem to have tried every possible one you could conceive.

www.mimf.com

[sparktone]

I thought I'd color the wood because it's poplar (high-end stuff here, ya know?), which has a slightly greenish cast to it in its natural state. It's not drop dead gorgeous as-is, but it has enough grain pattern to give it some character.

If I could trust the Tru-Oil to give it enough amber coloring, I'd go with that by itself.

[Hambone]

Originally Posted by sparktone

I thought I'd color the wood because it's poplar (high-end stuff here, ya know?), which has a slightly greenish cast to it in its natural state. It's not drop dead gorgeous as-is, but it has enough grain pattern to give it some character.

If I could trust the Tru-Oil to give it enough amber coloring, I'd go with that by itself.

The only way to see is to test on scrap first - this is a good tip to file away for someone without woodworking experience.