End to end process of refinishing an old wooden dresser to a more modern stain.

The entire process took quite a long time and was performed over several weeks. In order to spare you, the viewer, the agony of watching the slow process, I have sped up most clips significantly.

The basic process is as follows:
1) Prepare a work area
2) PPE (respirator, safety glasses, gloves, long pants/shirt)
3) Sand the furniture to remove the old stain (furniture must be solid wood)
a) An orbital sander works best b/c it moves quick but not in the same direction so there won't be noticeable lines where the sanding has occurred. Belt sanders can sometimes leave straight grooves in the wood which requires more sanding and can lead to dips/depressions where you sanded away too much.
b) Use sand paper by hand for delicate work to maintain any designs or edges
4) Remove sawdust with a shop vacuum first and then go behind with a tack clothe to ensure no particles remain. (any particles will absorb stain and then fall off later potentially leaving unstained spots)
5) Apply stain using either a sponge brush or an old t-shirt
6) Quickly wipe away excess stain to give the furniture a modern stained look while allowing some wood color to show through. The longer you let the stain sit before wiping away the darker the stain will be.