Finishing drawers

[Tim Weiss]

I have built 3 half blind dovetail drawers for a desk I am building. They are flush fitting with the front face and backcherry and sides maple. I am going to use Maloof poly/oil. Should I finish them before or after assembly? I'm concerned about the dovetails not fitting as nicely as they are now.
Tim

[Aaron Berk]

After assembly.
Use tape to mask off the fronts if they are getting a different finish schedule.

[glenn bradley]

Aaron's got it. That's how I do mine.

[Tim Weiss]

Thank you guys. Appreciate your advise.

[Sam Stephens]

personally i would only finish the front face. The oil and poly smell (VOC) takes a long time to dissipate from drawers (months).

[Frank Martin]

Like Sam, I suggest you finish all other parts except for the outside front with shellac. Oil-based finish will indeed smell for months or even years.

[Bill Neely]

Like Sam, I suggest you finish all other parts except for the outside front with shellac. Oil-based finish will indeed smell for months or even years.
True enough, there are some nightstands upstairs that I finished with tung oil 30 years ago that still have a faint odor inside.

[Steve Kohn]

I've typically left the drawer boxes unfinished or used latex paint. I've stayed away from any oil based finishes for exactly the reasons mentioned above.

[Jim Becker]

For drawer boxes that I don't leave unfinished, I use either shellac or water borne clear to avoid any "long term future odor"...

[Jerry Olexa]

As Jim and Sam said, I genenally do NOT finish the insides of drawers....The odors lingers long time....If necessary, I use Shellac. HTH