Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: MOTM

Well folks,

After waiting and waiting to build a lovely new cabinet, I could wait no
longer. My modules were spilling out on top of my old temporary plywood
cabinet. I didn't buy the fancy black walnut I had planned, because I have
had horrible luck finishing cabinets in the past, because I'm 6 hours away
from my dad's superb wood shop, and because I've been vacillating on the
typical slant Moog style versus the U shaped Luther Moog look. I had to do
something however, so I decided to build as nice a cabinet as I could,
inexpensively.

So I said "What the @#$%" one Saturday and headed to Lowes. I bought some
nice birch faced plywood, and some nifty iron-on matching birch edge veneer
rolls. I built a straight 26U x 10U cabinet with butt joints since I don't
have a table saw to miter the corners. The veneer went on the edges and WAS
mitered, so that from the front it looks great. You attach the veneer by
putting some protective aluminum foil over an iron, holding the veneer in
place, heating the glue on the back, then trimming the extra width. It works
great.

My downfall has always been finishing. I used to rush everything and ruin it
that way. In recent years I've become more patient, but when it's time to
apply the polyurethane, it always bubbles or runs. Foam brush, good brush,
careful stirring to avoid making bubbles - it never mattered. I have been
the king stooge of polyurethane disasters. This time, however, I had
success.

I stained it with 2 coats of MinWax red oak, first treating it with a MinWax
pre stain to even out the color since birch is kind of soft. Then I applied
3 coats of polyurethane, applying steel wool before the last 2 coats. The
finish rocks! The secret for me turned out to be MinWax Wipe On Poly. I
could shake the can to mix it, and have all kinds of bubbles inside. But
when I rubbed it on with a lint free cloth, no bubbles! Furthermore, it was
just the right viscosity to avoid running down onto adjacent surfaces. I'm
so happy <sob>!

It looks so good, I may never get to the walnut cabinet. It was so cheap to
build (about $40), that I will make this a top cabinet, and build another
bottom cabinet with a slant, and 1 extra space for 2 magic bus strips.

Now, I REALLY REALLY need those flat rails, Paul! Cab pic is attached.

Sorry for the excessive blathering. I've been a good woodworker my entire
life, but finishing was like this secret that I could never crack...

Moe