I am looking for some opinions on whether I should pre-finish some tables I am building. I am building 3 tables (sofa, coffee, end) where the base of the table will be dyed dark and the top will be natural cherry. I will be spraying Target EM1000 sealer and EM8000CV.
I am getting close to the point of assembly of the base and I want to know your thoughts on if I should first dye and finish the parts. The joinery is with dominos. The top will be finished separately then joined later on.
I have tried pre-finishing in the past, but the clamps (even though i used pads) left marks in the finish that required sanding to get out. Luckily, there was no colorant used with that project. Is this something others have experienced?
If I do pre-finish - how far should I take it? I have read some people stop just short of the last coat of finish.
Thanks