finishing insides of pieces?

[markus shaffer]

hello all

i was thumbing through the book entitled "In the Shaker Style" put out by Taunton press a few minutes ago and i came across something interesting. there's a close up photo (pg. 127 if you have the book) of some open dovetailed drawers in an apothecary chest. looking closely, i noticed that the finish doesn't seem to go past the dovetails on the sides of the drawers. i've yet to start drinking today, so i don't believe my eyes are playing tricks on me. personally, i've always finished the insides as well as the outsides of drawers. i'm curious what other people do in this situation. perhaps somewhere along the way i missed the information about finishing drawers.

-markus

[George@Colonel's Workshop]

Good Afternoon Markus,

Methinks your eyes see soberly. Often I have wondered why the finish stopped at the drawer front joinery. I've read about the awful sickly odor imparted by varnish and polys to clothes placed inside the closed drawers, but honestly have never detected any smell. I like to shellac the entire drawer. I think it looks better when a drawer isn't completely closed--and I think a finished inside drawer gives the impression that I went the extra mile in refinishing the piece. So I do it as a matter of course. For those who have better noses than mine, I'd use water based poly.

I piece I did two months ago was a little cabinet which was painted yellow inside and out. Solid walnut covered with something like the water based Sears Kemtone of old. I tried to strip it, but it kept liquifying and wicking farther into the wood. I wound up painting the entire inside of the cabinet a semi gloss black, and fortunately got most of the awful yellow off the outside. Even after sanding, the outside still displayed tiny yellow dots in places. I used a spray toner over orange shellac to mask them completely, recovered with shellac, and then wiped on satin poly iaw the customer's instructions. It looked beautiful inside and out. She especially liked the finished drawers.

Sorry about the long discourse. Ask me the time, and I'll build you a verbal Rolex..

[Paul Kunkel]

Originally posted by George@Colonel's Workshop
Sorry about the long discourse. Ask me the time, and I'll build you a verbal Rolex.. [/B] :D
I can't ignore any of your posts:D :D :D

[Todd Burch]

For drawers, if they won't be in mechanical slides, I don't finish them - just the false front. If they are on mechanical slides, I will finish them inside and out, but not the underside.

The "rule of thumb" for finishing drawer sides not on mechanical slides, is that if finished - they will stick.

Todd.

[David Rose]

causing sticking. Do you find this to be the case with any type finish?

David

[Todd Burch]

I don't do it - so I can't tell you! Just sage advice from one who knew a whole lot more than me.

Sorry. Todd.

[Lincoln Myers]

I have often wondered about this as well. What about the inside of boxes? Jewelry/keepsake boxes, or blanket chests? Do you typically finish the insides?

[Ted Shrader]

Originally posted by Lincoln Myers
I have often wondered about this as well. What about the inside of boxes? Jewelry/keepsake boxes, or blanket chests? Do you typically finish the insides?
Lincoln -
Blanket chests - lined w/ cedar - would be kind of self defeating to finish them. Other jewelry/keepsake boxes - use cloth (silk, anti-tarnish silver cloth, etc) or flocking or whatever. If wood will show - then shellac.

George commented about the awful smell of poly in drawers. He couldn't smell it. Well I can. Had a dresser that I put poly inside the drawers. The smell didn't go away for about a year. Learned my lesson on that one! Shellac from now on.

Ted

[Lincoln Myers]

So if it's inside or enclosed and wood will show, then the best solution is shellac. Got it. Thanks a lot.

[Lee Schierer]

This was often discussed back in our former life on the Pond. I think you'll find that there are examples of both methods out there. Finish was expensive and the people that made a lot of the classic old furniture were very frugal. Finishing also takes time. YOu can turn out more furniture if you only finish the sides that show. They only finished what you could see.

Personally, I finish everything inside and out (except cedar chests). My reasoning is to make the moisture absorption/loss equal on both sides of the board. Keeps everything flat through the seasons.

Old growth timber used to be more stable than what we can get now. The smaller growth rings made it that way. I've seen old growth boards in pieces that were 24 inches across and perfectly flat. Try and find a piece of lumber 24" wide today. If you do it will be cupped.

I've never had a problem with smell in drawers from the finish as long as you let the finish fully cure.

I use Deft Clear Wood finish and it tends to make even wooden drawer slides more slippery than without any finish. It feels like there is wax in the finish. There is a build up so you have to allow a little more clearance.

[George@Colonel's Workshop]

Good Afternoon Lee,

Sorry we missed you. How are you feeling now that you "flu" home?

[Dave Anderson NH]

In most of the work I do I shellac the drawers inside and out with either super blonde if I want to keep the original wood color or garnet if I want a more mellow and antique look. For drawers in most shop storage or if the drawer is more for style than for actual use, I just make sure the wood is handed planed smoothe and then apply a couple of coats of paste wax. This approach is a real time saver though it doesn't stand up to heavy use.