finishing inside of the cabinet

Hi All.

I am close to completion of my first cabinet. Will post pictures once it is done. I am planing to finish it with pure tung oil on the outside and shellac on the inside. I will be using shellac first time, but since it is not a French polish and not even outside I should be Ok. My question relates to finishing inside of the cabinet. How do you get into all those corners inside of the cabinet?

-- Dmitri Priimak

Reply to
Dmitri Priimak
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Use a brush, not a pad or rubber.

I use artist's watercolour brushes. 1/2" filbert (half oval) is a good shape for large areas, or a 1/2" flat brush to get into corners. The brush fibre is important - use a synthetic, not a natural fibre. Watercolour brushes or "Golden Taklon" are the sort to look for.

Keep separate brushes for blonde or garnet shellac and don't clean them afterwards. Wipe them as clean as you can, then just let them set hard. Before using them next time, soak them for a couple of minutes in alcohol.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Dmitri, "Thou shalt treat one side of a board the same as the other. This is the first and greatest commandment" . . . in my finishing book. The shellac may cause the inside of the cabinet to accept or reject moisture at a different rate than the outside that's finished with tung oil. This could cause unnecessary warping due to the differential in moisture content from one side to the other. And it will continue to cause problems every time the relative humidity swings. Don't know where you live, but down heah in Mississippi, we get lots of stupidity - I mean humidity - in the summer, and our houses tend to get dry in the winter. A cabinet that's differentially treated would tear itself apart around here. Which ever finish you decide to go with, use the same on inside and out. A smallish brush or a wiping rag will get into the corners well enough.

DonkeyHody

Reply to
DonkeyHody

Thanks for the advice. On the other hand Krenov highly recommends in his books to finish inside with shellac even though (my impression) outside it would be finished with Danish oil. I also have a bad experience with finishing inside of the cabinet with poly. Even after more then 4 month that box still has that unpleasant odor inside. Knowing how long it takes for pure tung oil to really get dry it would probably take a year before all odor would be gone on the inside if I finish it with pure tung oil as well. What do you think?

-- Dmitri Priimak

D> Dmitri,

Reply to
Dmitri Priimak

Dmitri Priimak wrote in news:caj5r9$gcj$ snipped-for-privacy@news.Stanford.EDU:

You can use shellac over oil. Search the wReck Google archives for the instructions as to the particulars, but it works, and it's easy. And the Accolytes of St. Krenov do it regularly.

(That last bit was said with tongue in cheek. I have had the privilege of meeting a number of graduates of the College of the Redwoods, and visiting the shops there, and with the staff. While I can say that, for the most part, they are quite confident in their skills, and rightly so, they are aware of the privilege they have had to learn in a fine program, with good people.)

There is an active thread running on danish oils, and the variants in mixes and techniques, and why one would be used over another. Good information there. Look for posts by Mike G. You don't need to use 'pure tung oil' to get the benefits you seek.

Best wishes!

Patriarch

Reply to
patriarch

Hey Dmitri,

...applying your shellac, ( or whatever finish)to components before glue up, gives the best results, especially for an interior. Taping your joints before applying the shellac prevents any joint/glue failures.

Cheers,

aw

Reply to
A Dubya

How about before cutting? Among other things, fewer edges/joints to tape.

Reply to
igor

hmmm...I'm thinking that's a little too close for comfort for me. Doing the jointery, a dry run, applying finish, then glue up, minimizes risk and allows you to easily access all surfaces for finishing. IMHO it's the most failsafe and provides a flawless finish.

Cheers,

aw

Reply to
A Dubya

finish it >>with pure tung oil as well. What do you think?

An oil finish on a semi air tight interior (especially a drawer)...runs the risk of smelling rancid over time.

Cheers,

aw

Reply to
A Dubya

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