Avoid a Mess with Mesh

Here's a neat and easy way to stain small parts, such as drawer pulls, plugs, and Shaker pegs. Start with an old cake pan. Cut and bend ¹⁄₄ " hardware cloth so that it fits inside the pan, reaches nearly to the bottom, and has enough left at each end to serve as handles. Pour stain into the pan, place the wooden parts on the mesh tray, and lower it into the pan. After the parts are coated with stain, lift the tray, put a couple of scrapwood stickers across the pan, and set the tray on them. Let the excess stain drip off, then wipe the parts.
—R.B. Himes, Vienna, Ohio