how do you finish inside a box?

I like Howards- that is easy to rub in after assembly.
and it smells great!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

Finsih the inside surfaces completely with the same method you’ll use on the outside and apply a coat of good wax before assembly (tape is your firiend on the parts you don’t want finish on).

Squeeze out pops right off the waxed surface, but you can also apply tape along the insdes of the corners to make it even easier.

Ryan

-- If you can't set a good example, at least serve as a horrible warning... www.rarewoodcreations.com

I second Ryan. Finish the inside first or regret it later. Norm always paints/finsihes after which bugs me.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

This has been discussed quite a bit on the Wood Talk Online podcast. The general consensus seemed to be that in many cases, you don’t need to finish the inside of a box.

-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com

Eric, in my opinion that’s the same line of thought as “I don’t have to finish the backside of the cabinet or the bottom of the table, ‘cause no one will see it”. I finish the inside of my boxes for two reasons: 1st, moisture is released/absorbed much more slowly through a finish. If I put 100 hours into a box, I certainly dont want the thing to warp because I neglected to spend an hour or two more finishing the inside. And 2: Well…anything worth doing is worth doing well. With the exception of my humidors (that never recieve any type of chemical finish inside), I just don’t feel like the project is done. Inside, outside, top and bottom all get the same treatment.

My .02, and worth exactly what you paid for it ;)

-- If you can't set a good example, at least serve as a horrible warning... www.rarewoodcreations.com

Good philosophy Ryan.

-- Maplewood, MN

I… third (?) Ryan.

At the very least, I always wipe on two or three quick layers of 1# shellac and a coat of paste wax. And if I’m putting a fabric (suede cloth) bottom in, I actually put that onto the bottom piece before assembly and cut my dado for the height of the bottom + the thickness of the cloth. That way, the liner makes a nice crip edge at the sides of the box.

Only problem I’ve come across with that technique so far is when I’m fuming wood. I don’t think I want to fume the box with the suede cloth liner already in it, but I want to fume the box AFTER I cut the lid free from the bottom because that cut line will show some unfumed wood…

I suppose if I’m fuming the wood, I could always make sure my design allows for that by making the lid a frame and panel lid instead of cutting the top off a six-sided box. There’s a thought…

What was the question again? Oh, whether or not to finish the inside of the box.

I say finish it before assembly.

-- Ethan, http://www.merganserwoodworks.com, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

thanks for all the help. i’ve tried all this but howard’s, which i thought i saw at home depot. i’ll try that next.

thanks again,
woodtex