Bartley File Cabinets - In Cherry

[Uncle Hook]

I'm still wrestling with the choice of wood and finish for our kitchen cabinets. I, too, have half a dozen cans of Bartley gel stains (as well as their gel varnish) that I've been experimenting with. The washcoat is something I haven't tried yet, but I'm heading out to pick up some Zinsser Sealcoat shortly, because blotching has been readily evident in what I've looked at so far (both on cherry and hard maple.)

Since you are experimenting with both cherry and maple I strongly suggest you consider trying an aniline dye like the one Bartley offers for sale.

http://bt3central.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=386083

The dye is mixed with hot water and applied with a rag after the washcoat of shellac has dried and lightly sanded. The dye will pop the grain like magic and it is an especially effective way to stain hard maple. A Bartley stain, more shellac or some other finish can be applied over the dye. I saw several Bartley pieces in cheery and maple finished using the dye and I was very impressed. I plan to use dyes on my own stuff from now on. I did not to use the dyes on the file cabinets because I was trying to match the look of other pieces he had done.

[cobob]

So if I get this right ... you shimed the slides so the drawers slide in at an angle to give the illusion of square ??? ... ??? BRILLIANT !!! That's thinking outside to cabinet.