My wife and I have a piece of granite left when cut out for our cooktop. She has talked me into making her a chest for our kitchen and using the granite. I had the granite cut and the edge treatment done.
I made the chest out of some surplus walnut I used in building a secretary. The walnut is not fine furniture grade, so I used it knowing that I would be “painting” it to match our kitchen cabinets. Those cabinets are finished with white Lacquer.
I am a good woodworker, but I can’t even call myself a finisher, I know I have to start sometime. I have a very fine Acuspray(sp) gun that uses HVLP but operates off my regular compressor. I know I need to finish the outside with the white lacquer but I do not know what to do with the drawers. The drawers are on a center glide and have a small amount of space between the drawers and the side of the case. There is no more than 3/32. I plan to use wax and nylon tape to make the drawers work smoothly.
The drawers are dovetailed (I like dovetail drawers even though they will be painted) and have a walnut face and oak sides. The bottom is oak ply.
My question is what to do with the inside of the case and drawers. I do not want to use a finish that does not finish hard and not cause problems sticking. What do I do?
Replies
Shellac would be a good choice. It dries hard, and of particular importance it doesn't contribute a long-lasting odor to the interior.
I would also only bring the paint to the edge of the dovetails (I assume these are the usual half blind dovetails), so that the natural wood appears when the drawers are opened, but disappears when they are closed.
Thanks, Steve for your reply.
If I am following you, the drawer front would be done in white lacquer. Is that front and back of the drawer front with the lacquer stopping on the sides at the half-blind dovetails? Also the drawer case and bottom would be finished in a clear shellac. which would give the oak a nice blond.
I built a eighteenth century Pennsylvania secretary but had to have someone else finish it. The finisher took the finish to the base of the half-blind dovetails. Not being much on finishing, I thought it looked a little strange.
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