Your underside

[Judson Green]

How much attention (flat, smooth) do you pay to the underside of a table, of a drawer bottom, a panel that's not gonna be seen?

[Tom Vanzant]

I stop when flat, with light cuts with the grain with a jointer. No smoother.

[Zach Dillinger]

As little as possible. Fore plane marks, spelching, tearout, its all fair game. No reason to get all fancy with it. :)

[Jim Koepke]

If it won't leave splinters in someone, it is done.

jtk

[Doug Trembath]

I find that when someone is sitting at a table, they almost always rub the underside of the table top edge, just as much as they rub the top. People always rub the finish, they relish the smoothness and depth.

This was pointed out to me by a long time woodworker a few years back, and I see folks do it whenever I show them a table. Consequently, I finish the underside of the top much like the upper surface, at least as far as the trestle, apron, or whatever, within reach of the hand.

Otherwise, if you can't see it, or feel it, I don't worry about it, other than complimentary finish so nothing warps.

Doug

[Shawn Pixley]

I find that when someone is sitting at a table, they almost always rub the underside of the table top edge, just as much as they rub the top. People always rub the finish, they relish the smoothness and depth.

This was pointed out to me by a long time woodworker a few years back, and I see folks do it whenever I show them a table. Consequently, I finish the underside of the top much like the upper surface, at least as far as the trestle, apron, or whatever, within reach of the hand.

Otherwise, if you can't see it, or feel it, I don't worry about it, other than complimentary finish so nothing warps.

Doug

I'm with Doug here. However, I've been told that in competitions, the backs, bottoms, etc... are judged as well. That's odd as most antiques are very rough in the non-show side. Don't get me going on their dovetails.

[george wilson]

Future curators might be frustrated with us. They use tool marks,etc. identify makers and glean date from them.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Future curators might be frustrated with us. They use tool marks,etc. identify makers and glean date from them.

This is a distinct possibility with your work, George - probably a strong likelihood.

My stuff? No curator will be called in.

[Cody Kemble]

My stuff? No curator will be called in.

This goes for my work as well. However, I do smooth both sides of a table apron and the top that will lie outside it when assembled. The backside of the aprons is a newer development. I made a table that was not pleasant to lift a couple of years ago (sharp inside corners). Now they are smooth.

[Zach Dillinger]

Future curators might be frustrated with us. They use tool marks,etc. identify makers and glean date from them.

I hope to confound the hell out of future curators.... ;)

[Judson Green]

OK so have the underside be kindly to the touch, unless its gonna be in a show, then it better be shiny.

If future curator's are looking at my furniture it will only be for a good laugh.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I'm in the old school 18th century camp like Zach. I leave tool marks on undersides and interiors but at least a couple of coats of finish get applied. I know that it has been proven that properly selected, oriented, and dried wood will not warp with finish on only one side, but I still can't break the habit of partially believing the old saw about finishing both sides to prevent warping.

[Judson Green]

But both you and Zach wouldn't leave splintery mess on the underside of a table, right?

[Zach Dillinger]

But both you and Zach wouldn't leave splintery mess on the underside of a table, right?

I wouldn't because I've never seen a period piece left that way. A small wound from a splinter could cause big problems in a pre-antibiotic world, so you don't see things like that in areas that could easily injure the end user. I don't remember where I heard this, but it makes sense to me.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I don't leave any splinters because that is not period workmanship, but rather just poor workmanship. Zach is right about infected wounds in pre-antibiotic days. My maternal G-grandmother Farley died of blood poisoning 5 days after cutting herself with a kitchen knife back around 1900.

[george wilson]

I heard of a wealthy person who got blood poisoning from a blister on the toe from playing tennis. This was in the 1920's. Any cut or injury causing access to the bloodstream could be fatal. Going to a dentist was dicey.

[Zach Dillinger]

I heard of a wealthy person who got blood poisoning from a blister on the toe from playing tennis. This was in the 1920's. Any cut or injury causing access to the bloodstream could be fatal. Going to a dentist was dicey.

Still can be. A former boss of mine almost died from a major brain abscess after a visit to his periodontist.

[Judson Green]

Well, I most certainly don't want any deaths related to my table!

[Zach Dillinger]

Well, I most certainly don't want any deaths related to my table!

No worries! We have penicillin now! Splinter away!

[Frank Drew]

I know that it has been proven that properly selected, oriented, and dried wood will not warp with finish on only one side, but I still can't break the habit of partially believing the old saw about finishing both sides to prevent warping.

Dave,

Do you have a link to something that explains that? I'm like you and still apply more or less equal amounts of finish to both sides of a panel, although I don't spend anything like the same amount of time smoothing or refining the hidden side, away from a few inches at the margins in the case of a table top.

[Brian Holcombe]

Smooth, and I usually finish them with the same finish as the top, but to a lesser degree.

[Adam Cruea]

I finish both sides.

For one, it gives me twice as much area to possibly show on the outside if I screw something up (like an apron on a table).

But, I'm also highly obsessive about the details. To me, the underside, if it's ever possibly going to be seen, should be smooth and finished. Not to mention, kids will inevitably crawl under/around/over things and feel them due to curiosity, so make it smooth and safe for young hands.

The only reason my workbench isn't finished and smoothed underneath was because I was in a hurry and wanted to get to building stuff. I wish I'd have taken the time to at least clean up where my face vise goes into the apron; it's slightly out due to the unfinished bottom.

I'm highly critical, though. Especially of my own work. I've made several things for my wife that I would much rather turn into firewood, but she insists on it being just fine and very nice.