Newb question

[tys mom]

Greetings. I've been lurking these forums for a number of months and like others am just so pleased with the expertise and friendliness that's shown here. I'm thinking about adopting all of you, so alert your familes...

I've only made a few simple things, the latest being a folding Adirondack chair. It came out nicely, but it was a pain in the neck to stain and seal - getting in all the nooks and crannies, between the slats, etc. So - is there an easier way to do this? Would it make any sense whatsoever to stain and seal each individual piece and then assemble the whole chair?

Thanks, all.

PS: The Shark Guard rules!!
PPS: The only thing I'm newer at than woodworking is posting on forums so bear with me.[^]

[Jim Boyd]

Yes you can stain and finish first. But remember, nude is better! IMHO

[Pappy]

The problem with staining and finishing a project in pieces is that you have to tape off all the contact/glue areas first. IMHO, this can be a bigger pain that working around the "nooks and crannies".

BTW, Welcome to the Asylum, Pat!

[Ken Weaver]

Welcome aboard Pat! Have fun and be safe!

[leehljp]

Welcome Pat. Glad you are with us! Join in the fun and do some posting.

[Mainemarc]

quote:Originally posted by tys mom

I've only made a few simple things, the latest being a folding Adirondack chair. It came out nicely, but it was a pain in the neck to stain and seal - getting in all the nooks and crannies, between the slats, etc.

Hi tys mom:

Welcome to both the forum and a common lament: with the possible exception of sanding, finishing is just about the least enjoyable part of woodworking. I suspect that most of us tend to either rush it or put it off until the very end. Or both. (Which is kind of sad, because in my experience, a great finish can make a mediocre project look pretty darn impressive; and a poor finish can make the best woodworking look rather ordinary.)

Like Pappy, I don't think prefinishing the unassembled project is any easier than poking your brush in every corner and recess of an assembled piece. But it does have one big advantage: it helps ensure that you uniformly hit every surface, and minimizes the chances of unwanted drips, globbing and other forms of excessive finish buildup (especially with gel stains, DAMHIKT).

In other words, I think you end up with a higher quality finish when you do it before assembly.

[LarryG]

Howdy and welcome, Pat. We hope you'll do less lurking and more posting. We could use some help keeping all this testosterone in check ...

Regarding your question, there's not much I can add to what Pappy and Marc said, except this: it can also depend on how your project is put together. I have some (purchased) Adirondack chairs that are assembled with deck screws, with no glued joints anywhere. I bought them unfinished, and after staring at them for about five seconds I promply backed all the screws out, sanded and painted the various components individually, then put everything back together and filled the screw heads and touched up the paint. The job was very quick and easy, and they turned out great.

That aside, if I were building some chairs of my own and gluing them together, I *think* I'd use Marc's approach. More work, but probably a better result.

[Stytooner]

Welcome aboard, Pat. Something in your post indicates above average intelligence to me.
I think that so far, nearly every thought that I have on staining has been addressed here already. Here are a couple of extra tidbits that I find helpful. I avoid it when possible. If there are a lot of glue joints, as in a chair, I would do it at the end. The trick in this case is to go slow. Do just a little at a time, so you don't wind up with runs and drips. Wear rubber gloves and spead out lots on newspaper. Don't keep the stain rags in your shop afterward. Hang them outside to dry and then dispose of them.
Show us a photo when you can. I'm a hound for finished photo's. I look forward to reading more of your posts.

[don_hart]

One of the other options I have used when staining something like this is to spray the stain on. Of course this requires that you have a spray gun. With just a little practice it is easy to get a uniform coat and get into the cracks and crannies.

[Tom Miller]

quote:Originally posted by tys mom

I'm thinking about adopting all of you, so alert your familes...

Just say the word. We don't eat much, we're mostly quiet, but we likes our shop time.

quote:Originally posted by Jim Boyd

Yes you can stain and finish first. But remember, nude is better!

Tried that once, and I still haven't gotten the stain out of all the nooks and crannies. [)]

But seriously, an added advantage to finishing first is that glue removal is a lot easier. Some folks at least put down a sanding sealer first for this very reason.

Regards,
Tom

[tmaceroli]

How big is your bathtub? Dunking seems like an obvious alternative that many before me have missed...

What are you using to spread the stain? Those sponges made to look like brushes don't work too well. I don't even like to use real brushes for staining. Too much dripping and not enough cover. I prefer old cotton towels ripped into smaller (12x12 for example) squares. They seem to cover easily and hold enough material to get into difficult to reach areas. If you don't have any old ones, take a new one - but don't tell my wife.

Welcome aboard,
Tony

[bigstick509]

Welcome to the best forums on the Net.

[tys mom]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Sorry but I have one more question. I compiled all of your advice so right now I and my Adirondak chair are here on my front lawn, submerged in a huge tub full of stain. I've got rubber gloves on, and have glue, small towels, and sandpaper nearby. And remember Jim said nude is better. I'm bewildered, but, hey, you guys are the experts. Anyhow my question is:

What shall I tell the cops when they arrive?

[GeekMom]

Welcome to the forum, Pat! Nice to see another lady here. I see you live in Windsor. I grew up in Loveland. Practically neighbors. Hope to see some pictures of the finished work!

[monte]

Welcome to the group Pat!