Assemble first or finish first?

[Jason Stoller]

I am a newbie and I am making a cherry bookcase for my son. The carcass is 3/4 cherry plywood.

I want to shellac, but I don't know if I should shellac first, then assemble the carcass...or shellac after assembly.

Any words of wisdom?

[Kevin Groenke]

If I can do so without contaminating joinery with finish, I generally find it easier to get a quality finish on the unassembled components (especially something with lots of detail, corners, etc..) This also eliminates the possibility of glue residue interfering with stain and/or finish penetration. Glue squeeze out is very easy to remove from pre-finished parts. Depending on the final finish, a final coat might be able to be applied after assembly.

Of course if you're spraying on the finish, that's a different story.

-kg

[Jamie Buxton]

..[snip]..

Of course if you're spraying on the finish, that's a different story.

For me, the biggest argument for prefiinishing is to make the spraying work. I use an HVLP. It blows so much air around that it doesn't do a good job in concave areas like drawer boxes or cabinets with closed backs. I now design stuff so that any concave assemblies get sprayed before they get assembled.

[Jim Becker]

I'm with Jamie on this and I generally do cabinetry components before assembly, masking off any glue/assembly areas. The masking takes time, but it's a lot easier to spray flat components than to point a gun into a box and get it back in one's face...

If you are applying the shellac with a brush, then it pretty much is just as easy to do it post-assembly. (Do note that shellac requires a little different technique than a varnish when you brush it...be sure you practice before you do your real project)

[Steve Schoene]

Finishing before assembly is fine for plywood applications, but for much of solid wood furniture, there are too many joints that just need a bit of "flushing" surfaces or other tweaks. This can't be done with pre finished parts in very many cases.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

For me the project determines finishing. For a bookcase I build the carcase and cut and fit the back (assuming you're going to use one) and finish the carcase and back separately. You can work from either front or back with the open carcase and the finish dries faster, eliminating some dust pickup.

[Don Selke]

I pre-finish all my projects prior to assembly. As stated, I mask all areas prior to finishing where glue will be applied. I have been using HVLP spray equipment for a long time and personally do not have a over spray problem.

[Luis Oliveira]

I'm with Jamie on this and I generally do cabinetry components before assembly, masking off any glue/assembly areas. The masking takes time, but it's a lot easier to spray flat components than to point a gun into a box and get it back in one's face...

If you are applying the shellac with a brush, then it pretty much is just as easy to do it post-assembly. (Do note that shellac requires a little different technique than a varnish when you brush it...be sure you practice before you do your real project)

what tipe of masking tape do you use.

[Jim Becker]

what tipe of masking tape do you use.

Just blue painter's tape. I apply it and do any necessary trimming with a very sharp blade. Note that you can't leave the masking on "forever" a few days at the most. Each type of masking tape has a specified maximum time before it gets harder to remove.

[Prashun Patel]

I like to assemble parts that'll be in the same plane first like face frames (so you can sand and true them post assembly before finishing). Finishing pcs in the same plane is easy anyway.

I like to finish parts first that'll lie in opposing planes (like shelves and carcass sides. There's no sanding required here after assembly).

[glenn bradley]

I'm no help. I do a bit of both. as others have said; tough areas or detailed joinery are easier prior to assembly. I don't completely pre-finish as a rule though.