Replies

1. 
   Gretchen | Apr 21, 2005 02:24pm | #1

   Either apply a very thin coat of brushed shellac or water based varnish--or leave it unfinished, as they did in the 18th and 19th centruries.

   Gretchen
2. 
   Pondfish | Apr 21, 2005 03:33pm | #2

   Brushing shellac on the inside should still give you a decent finish.  You can also finish the work before it's assembled, and touch up joint areas after assmebly.

   I wouldn't leave it unfinished.  Shellac does a great job protecting against changes in humidity, and it is far easier to clear a shellacked surface than raw wood. 

3. 
   Rich14 | Apr 21, 2005 07:53pm | #3

   Charlie,

   I feel the best solution is to (pre)finish the inside first. We are so conditioned into thinking that "finishing" is the very last step in making a piece of furniture that applying any finish before glue-up is almost impossible for the brain to accept. Once one gets beyond that impediment, it's astonishing that one didn't use such a work flow previously, for any piece meant to be fine furniture.

   Yes, "finishing" some parts of a piece before final assembly requires that some modifications be made in the "standard" assembly and glue-up process. But once those "adjustments" to the thinking process are made (taping off places where glue or finish should not occur, etc) THEY become the standard and the problems go away and the level of quality of the work jumps by magnitudes.

   Rich

   Don't ever learn anything new. Rather than give you satisfaction that you know more than you did, it will only confirm you know less than you thought by opening horizons to things of which you had never dreamt and which you now must explore.

1. 
   CharlieD | Apr 21, 2005 10:09pm | #4

   Rich, and Paul,Yeah, I can see how that would have solved this issue. Live and learn, I guess. I'm padding shellac--very thin coats--on the inside surfaces. Seems to be going OK. Gretchen,Yeah, thin coats, I agree. I'm trying it. I've had poor results brushing, though, despite my very good natural bristle brush. Need more practice, I guess. I'm padding, using very expensive non-stick gauze, 3" x 3" squares hand-sewn into a pad about 3/8" thick. Works great, but corners present an obvious problem...Thanks folks,CharlieI tell you, we are here to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different. --K Vonnegut

4. 
   kenshep | Apr 22, 2005 04:31am | #5

   Hi Charlie,

     Every trunk I have made has either had a cedar bottom or i lined the bottom of it with tongue and groove aromatic cedar (closet lining).  I didn't finish any of them on the interior.  Three of them are in my Florida home and have had no issues with the humidity warping sides, top or bottom.  It's nice to have that essence of cedar every time you open the trunk.

    

   Regards,

   Ken

   "Do as you would be done by." C.S. Lewis

1. 
   CharlieD | Apr 22, 2005 08:59am | #6

   Yeah; the inside bottom of this feller is aromatic cedar, as you say. But the sides are oak, of course. I went ahead and padded shellac on the inside, three very thin coats. Came out fine in my book. Took a little practice, but I got it ok. Thanks.CharlieI tell you, we are here to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different. --K Vonnegut

1. 
   Gretchen | Apr 22, 2005 03:51pm | #7

   You sealed the cedar?Gretchen

1. 
   CharlieD | Apr 22, 2005 08:13pm | #8

   Gracious, no. Sorry I wasn't clear. I taped off the cedar with blue painter's tape and a plastic trash liner. Didn't get touched. Whew!CharlieI tell you, we are here to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different. --K Vonnegut