How should I (or how would you) do this?

[Ron Robinson]

Hello all,

I am currently making a small book/plant shelf for my kitchen. I decided to make it using only material I have on hand. (LOML refers to it as a certain kind of pile)

I made a carcass out of MDF which I plan on painting, and a thick top and face frame out of ash, on which I will apply poly or shellac.

My question (finally) is this...

Should I attach the top and frame before all finishing and mask like crazy or finish separately and attach after finishing?

Thanks for the help,

Ron Robinson

[Lee DeRaud]

Can't really visualize what you're building ("face frame" and "shelf" don't normally go together in my head), but it sounds like painting the MDF before and finishing the ash after assembly might be the way to go, depending on how you're attaching the two together. Just keep the paint (mostly) off the mating surfaces if they're going to be glued.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I would finish them separately if you can. Assemble the face frame and finish, keeping it off of the mating surface. Also do the shelf separate...