When to stain drawer fronts with a half blind dovetail
I’m building a QSWO bureau using a multi-step finish (Jeff Jewitt’s technique). The drawer sides will be ash I plan to keep them blonde. So, when do finish the oak drawar fronts?
Options:
1. Stain, shellac and glaze the front and end grain of the drawer front before cutting the joint. Seems like I would wreck the finish during construction of the joints.
2. Cut joints then do the entire finish minus the topcoat (and just do my best to avoid getting anything into the joints) and then glue
3. Build the drawers completely then finish, either not staining the end grain or taping the tails as best I can and expect some bleed through.
Better ideas are welcome of course.
TB
Replies
Cut the joinery, plane everything flush, and stain/ glaze and finish all of the parts before glueup. The end grain should absorb stain to enough depth to allow for final cleanup with a plane after the glueup. Final finish with a topcoat that will not re-wet the stain should be all you need.
Thanks MJ
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