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Spraying was done after assembly of the drawers, with lacquer masking tape and newspaper shielding the edges and front faces of drawer fronts. The back panel was finished both sides with pre-catalysed lacquer also.
I modified the manufacturer's 'tung oil finish' by adding alkyd varnish and mineral spirits. The first coat of tung oil finish was applied as it came out of the can. The second coat was cut with about 15% alkyd varnish, and 15% mineral spirits Third, and subsequent coats were cut with about 30% of both mineral spirits and alkyd oil varnish. It's wiped on, and buffed off fairly quickly, concentrating on one manageable area at a time.
Note 1. The mixture I use works well in the hot humid climate I experience. Other workers, in cooler climates, prefer to use naphtha or turpentine in place of mineral spirits to allow for faster drying and other reasons. Note 2. Pure oil finishes, such as linseed or tung oil, used on their own have a rancid, musty smell if used on internal parts that have no air circulation, such as drawers. This is one reason why I will often finish all internal parts with, for example, pre-catalysed lacquer, and apply an oil finish only to the outside.
Finally, after the polishing, which entails breaking down the cabinet into its smallest constituents, it's re-assembled. The last job is to apply self stick felt bumper pads to the back side of the drawer front, one each end to soften the final closing action of the slides and prevent abrasion damage.
© Richard Jones, 2001. No part of this article --text, photographs, slides, sketches, working drawings, etc.-- may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the author.
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