New office desk progress

Dominoed drawers.

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in the desk side cabinets.

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Drawer fronts and varnish and his phase will be complete

Reply to
Leon
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Can I assume that the drawers will come off before the varnish goes on? Clear varnish?

Reply to
Dave

Sounds like a personal question.

Reply to
G.W.Ross

Yes the drawers are removable. The side panel, panels are cherry and already have 4 coats of clear varnish. Only the oak needs to be varnished.

Reply to
Leon

Leon ...

What material did you use for the drawer sides? (Still debating for my buffet project).

Larry

Reply to
Gramp's shop

Looks good, no file drawer in the desk, to you have a plan for files.

Mike M

Reply to
Mike M

Thank you. Way ahead of you on files.

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tall cabinet on the right side will house an ugly legal sized five drawer Steel Case file cabinet.

Reply to
Leon

1/2" Baltic birch
Reply to
Leon

I considered that as a possibility but with the door front I wan't sure. It makes total sense though good idea.

Mike M

Reply to
Mike M

Actually, when I asked the question, I was referring to the drawers and the slides coming off before varnishing.

Reply to
Dave

I purposely do not varnish the drawers..

Reply to
Leon

------------------------------------------ Any particular reason?

Do you just prefer raw wood inside drawers?

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

Finishes tend to give off an odor when closed up. Many of my customers place clothing in the drawers and I would not want the the odor to migrate.

Reply to
Leon

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dumb question.

Does the above also apply to shellac?

Reason I ask is that is exactly what I did with a chest I built for clothing.

Granted my smeller isn't the best, but I can't smell any residue on clothing stored in chest.

Of course I waited 90 days before I started using it.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

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I generally deliver almost immediately upon completion. I can't really ask the customer to not use the piece for 90 days. I don't think shellac has that problem but I don't use shellac. Assuming that there might be alcohol spilled on a shellac finish I don't take the risk. While shellac is easier to repair I have not yet had to repair a finish done with varnish. That said having built well in excess of 100 drawers for personal use in our home I have never seen the need for a finish for the drawers be it for kitchen or furniture. Now if I am doing a pretty drawer with nice visible joints I will varnish the out side sides of the drawer.

Reply to
Leon

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Not unusual, and almost traditional in some places, for many makers to NOT finish drawer interiors, particularly those drawers which will be holding linens and clothing.

I most always finish kitchen drawers, inside and out, with a clear coat, the same as the final top coat on the cabinets.

For drawers that will specifically hold linens and clothing, like a chest of drawers, and unless otherwise requested, I also use shellac as a first choice.

I do this simply because I _do_ have an above average "smeller". :)

Anyone who has ever stored their clothes in an unfinished drawer from an old chest of drawers that was not necessarily held to the highest standards of hygiene during its years of use, will appreciate that doing so can impart a nasty odor to _your_ clothes when stored therein.

Not only will shellac mitigate that happening in the first place, it can often be successful in getting rid of that smell in old furniture. AAMOF, I've shellacked many a chest of drawers, inside and out, for folks who had that exact problem when buying an antique for use.

Different strokes ... YMMV

Reply to
Swingman

I guess that makes sense. Hell, unfinished cedar cabinets have been used for eons for storing clothing, no reason why other types of wood can't do the same thing.

Guess it also produces the product faster to the customer.

Reply to
Dave

Sure, that also makes sense. Dropping pieces of cutlery or other metal objects in a drawer, the shellac would add a extra layer of protection.

Different strokes...

Wonder how with all the spicy Cajun food you eat. :)

Reply to
Dave

Other than helping to prevent odors from being absorbed by the wood too, as Swingman pointed out, I have not seen the need to apply a finish. That said when using no mechanical metal slides I will apply a wax coating to the outsides.

I do presand all interior sides and bottom prior to glue up and then finish sand the exterior after glue up and Domino insertion.

Reply to
Leon

Hell Swingman knows when my wife cooks, and we live 22 miles from each other.

Reply to
Leon

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