I made a sort of cubbyhole unit to mount over my desk. It's a long box
about 5' x 1' x 1' with two vertical dividers splitting it into three
sections. For reasons that no longer seem so smart, the main box is
made of some sort of hardwood plywood (I was told it was oak but I'm
pretty sure it isn't) and the face frame is made of 1 x 2 oak. All of
it is stained a dark red/cordovan (to match other furniture in the
room).

I have chosen to finish the face frame with Minwax Tung Oil finish (3
coats, steel wool in-between) and then wax. The "box" will just have
two coats of satin poly for ease and durability. There will be all
sorts of stuff in this unit (bills, books, fax machine) so the inside
won't be that visible.

I decided that it would be easier to do the two different finishing
methods before the face frame is glued to the box. But it has now
occurred to me, after two coats of the Minwax product, that I will
have to clamp the "finished" face frame on while gluing.

My plan is to put on the last coat of Tung Oil Finish on and let it
dry for at least a day, then glue and clamp it WITHOUT steel-wooling.
Once the clamps come off I'll steel wool the face frame and wax it.
I'm hoping that any marks left by the clamping will be erased by the
steel wool. If that fails, I guess I could sand it little more
agressively and then put on another coat of the Tung Oil Finish.

I'm wondering if there's anything I should put between the pipe clamp
jaws and the finished wood besides the usual wood blocks. Do you think
the wood blocks might stick to the finish? Any other tips?

Greg Guarino