Hello Gary.
Im a carpenter of somewhat 27 years. Mostly framing homes, did some trim work, hung doors windows etc... Though I never built furniture or cabinets. / years ago I was injured badly in a car crash and cant work anymore. Though I still love to work with my hands. I recently bought a new home and decided to tackle building kitchen cabinets in my basement kitchen. I really surprised myself on how good they came out(incredible) for my first time building them. the only trouble I had was with the stain. I gess i did`nt read up on it enough. I tried putting it on bare wood (red oak) and it was really uneven. Ithought it was just me.So i sanded it most of it off now then clear coated it and the results were awesome. I realize now that I should have sealed the wood first. What is the best product for sealing in your opinion, also should I sand them with a fine grit then give one more coat of clear coat. Thanks in advance Joe