Hi,
I'm getting ready to build a large shop cabinet. I saw it in a
woodworking magazine. ( American Woodworker, #91 December 2001).
It will take 4 full sheets of plywood.
I was considering finishing both sides of the plywood before I cut it.
It seems easier to do this than to put the finish on after the cabinet
is assembled with the associated hardware. I never see this process
suggested in magazine articles.
Am I missing something here? Does it mess up something else if I do
that first?
I don't care about the exposed piles. I could do that after the
installation was complete.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Thank you.
I was responding to the bench project in AW's January 2004 issue. Sorry
for the confusion.
Tom F
"tefgaf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I just completed the same bench you're describing. Used Watco Danish oil
to
> finish the cabinet and top as it was completed (first the cabinet and then
> both sides of the top before mounting it). I used 3/4" maple/birch
plywood
> for the entire cabinet since the cost was the same (it was on special at
HD)
> as regular 3/4" plywood. I also utilized maple vice birch for all the
solid
> stock as rough-cut maple is very cheap where I live. As for the top, I
> followed the AW's instructions, but used full-length strips of wormy maple
> rather that trying to work with off cuts as they did in the magazine
> article. (Wormy maple cost me $.90/bd foot instead of $1.40/bd ft for
clear
> maple.)
> I also biscuited the strips (about three #10's per strip) to
> ensure that they remained aligned during the glue up and clamping.
Because
> of the size and gluing area, I used a quart of glue just for the top.
> Overall, I am most pleased with the bench, as it is large enough to use
for
> the assembly of large pieces. On the down side, the cost of this project
is
> rather insidious. After investing in such things as 2 vises, 6 casters,
10
> drawer
> glides, plywood, maple and even angle iron, I have at least $450 in the
> project. However, AW's estimate is $900, so I guess I shouldn't complain.
>
> Good luck and let me know if you'd like to see pictures of my production.
>
> Tom F
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Carter" <[email protected]>
> Newsgroups: rec.woodworking
> Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 2004 11:03 AM
> Subject: Prefinishing a shop cabinet
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm getting ready to build a large shop cabinet. I saw it in a
> > woodworking magazine. ( American Woodworker, #91 December 2001).
> > It will take 4 full sheets of plywood.
> >
> > I was considering finishing both sides of the plywood before I cut it.
> > It seems easier to do this than to put the finish on after the cabinet
> > is assembled with the associated hardware. I never see this process
> > suggested in magazine articles.
> >
> > Am I missing something here? Does it mess up something else if I do
> > that first?
> >
> > I don't care about the exposed piles. I could do that after the
> > installation was complete.
> >
> > Anyone have any thoughts on this?
> >
> > Thank you.
>
> "mttt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "Carter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > >
> > > I was considering finishing both sides of the plywood before I cut it.
> > > It seems easier to do this than to put the finish on after the cabinet
> > > is assembled with the associated hardware. I never see this process
> > > suggested in magazine articles.
> >
> > I did some smaller shop cabinets and prefinished them. Blue tape the
glue
> > areas, to keep them unfinished. And prepare to do some "touch ups" on
the
> > finish. Overall I thought it made things easier.
> >
> >
>
>
When prefinishing before cutting the panels you stand the chance of screwing
up the finish. For a shop cabinet that may not matter much. Prefinishing
also may becoming a problem at the glued up joints as glue prefers bare wood
to bond well.
A better approach may be to cut your panels, cut your dado's, groves, and
rabbets, and then perhaps prefinish keeping the finish out of the fresh cut
joints and taping off the surfaces that will mate inside those joints.
I know the cabinet that you are talking about. IIRC it has 2 outer fold out
doors and 2 inner fold out doors. Personally I would build each section and
prefinish and then add you hinges.
"Carter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I'm getting ready to build a large shop cabinet. I saw it in a
> woodworking magazine. ( American Woodworker, #91 December 2001).
> It will take 4 full sheets of plywood.
>
> I was considering finishing both sides of the plywood before I cut it.
> It seems easier to do this than to put the finish on after the cabinet
> is assembled with the associated hardware. I never see this process
> suggested in magazine articles.
>
> Am I missing something here? Does it mess up something else if I do
> that first?
>
> I don't care about the exposed piles. I could do that after the
> installation was complete.
>
> Anyone have any thoughts on this?
>
> Thank you.
>
"Carter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Hi,
>
>
> I was considering finishing both sides of the plywood before I cut it.
> It seems easier to do this than to put the finish on after the cabinet
> is assembled with the associated hardware. I never see this process
> suggested in magazine articles.
I did some smaller shop cabinets and prefinished them. Blue tape the glue
areas, to keep them unfinished. And prepare to do some "touch ups" on the
finish. Overall I thought it made things easier.
On Tue, 04 May 2004 15:03:24 GMT, "Carter" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Anyone have any thoughts on this?
My shop cabinets are either painted or unfinished MDF. Painting is
easy after assembly. The unfinished cabinets will someday get
painted.
I don't go crazy on shop cabinets.
Barry
I just completed the same bench you're describing. Used Watco Danish oil to
finish the cabinet and top as it was completed (first the cabinet and then
both sides of the top before mounting it). I used 3/4" maple/birch plywood
for the entire cabinet since the cost was the same (it was on special at HD)
as regular 3/4" plywood. I also utilized maple vice birch for all the solid
stock as rough-cut maple is very cheap where I live. As for the top, I
followed the AW's instructions, but used full-length strips of wormy maple
rather that trying to work with off cuts as they did in the magazine
article. (Wormy maple cost me $.90/bd foot instead of $1.40/bd ft for clear
maple.)
I also biscuited the strips (about three #10's per strip) to
ensure that they remained aligned during the glue up and clamping. Because
of the size and gluing area, I used a quart of glue just for the top.
Overall, I am most pleased with the bench, as it is large enough to use for
the assembly of large pieces. On the down side, the cost of this project is
rather insidious. After investing in such things as 2 vises, 6 casters, 10
drawer
glides, plywood, maple and even angle iron, I have at least $450 in the
project. However, AW's estimate is $900, so I guess I shouldn't complain.
Good luck and let me know if you'd like to see pictures of my production.
Tom F
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carter" <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: rec.woodworking
Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 2004 11:03 AM
Subject: Prefinishing a shop cabinet
> Hi,
>
> I'm getting ready to build a large shop cabinet. I saw it in a
> woodworking magazine. ( American Woodworker, #91 December 2001).
> It will take 4 full sheets of plywood.
>
> I was considering finishing both sides of the plywood before I cut it.
> It seems easier to do this than to put the finish on after the cabinet
> is assembled with the associated hardware. I never see this process
> suggested in magazine articles.
>
> Am I missing something here? Does it mess up something else if I do
> that first?
>
> I don't care about the exposed piles. I could do that after the
> installation was complete.
>
> Anyone have any thoughts on this?
>
> Thank you.
"mttt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Carter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> >
> > I was considering finishing both sides of the plywood before I cut it.
> > It seems easier to do this than to put the finish on after the cabinet
> > is assembled with the associated hardware. I never see this process
> > suggested in magazine articles.
>
> I did some smaller shop cabinets and prefinished them. Blue tape the glue
> areas, to keep them unfinished. And prepare to do some "touch ups" on the
> finish. Overall I thought it made things easier.
>
>