Furniture - molding - staining -attaching -

[Phil Winn]

Building a room of Curly Maple furniture, thanks for the replies about the drawer

and chest staining answers....now one more question; Should I dye the
chest & molding BEFORE applying the molding, then attach the (dyed) molding and apply the varnish? Or attach the molding then dye/varnish the entire piece?

I guess I could glue and nail the molding on, then use some wood putty to fill-in some of the spaces...then dye/varnish the piece; BUT I am worried that
with the normal movement of the Curly Maple sides and the Curly Maple molding, that gaps will happen and then the "cracks" will be un-dyed Curly Maple.
Thoughts? What shall an old man do?

Thanks,
Phil

[Mike Cutler]

Phil. I would, if practical, dye and varnish the molding piece and chest seperately and then attach the molding to the chest. This will make for a real nice sharp transition between the pieces.

[Hal Flynt]

Ditto and use a pin nailer and avoid the filing of nail holes.

[Rob Russell]

Depending on the size of the mouldings you're attaching, sliding dovetails are a nice way to attach your mouldings. This technique allows you to dye the mouldings separately, attach them and clearcoat the entire piece. The sliding dovetails hide the attachments - no nail holes to fill.

You mill the female dovetail in your moulding and make male cleats that you attach to the furniture.

Just an idea.

Rob