I'm constructing some frames for some large pictures. It'll be a fairly
standard frame, mitered edged joined together with a slotted cut at the
corners.

My question has to do with the order of construction, staining and
laquering. Do I first construct the frame and then stain it? Or should
I stain the pieces first and then put them together?

The reason I ask is ... it seems that staining the frame after I put it
together runs the risk of producing dark lines at the mitered edges
where the wood pieces meet. What "seems" to make the most sense is to
have everything ready to construct (ie, pieces all cut to fit), then
stain the pieces, then construct the frame, and finally to laquer it.

This way, the laquer helps to "fill" the minute crack where the mitered
edges meet.

BUT ... I might have this all wrong. Is there some standard approach to
doing this?

Jack

mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net wrote:

My question has to do with the order of construction, staining and
laquering. Do I first construct the frame and then stain it? Or should
I stain the pieces first and then put them together?

Depends on your materials, your accuracy and your stain.

If everything is perfect, then stain, join, lacquer is fine.

If there's any inaccuracy, then join, stain, lacquer. This allows
better control of the stain over any bare wood splinters / filler.

If your stain blotches into end grain, then you might go back to stain,
join, lacquer -- but then you really need to watch the accuracy or it
will unavoidably look crude.

Jack,

Take the time to ensure that everything is setup correctly with some
scrap. Just because a chop saw has a mark for 45 degress (or what ever
angle you will be using) doesn't mean it is. Also make sure that you
can sand that cut at exactly the same angle as well. Then you can just
bust out your frames pretty quickly in the cut, stain, join, laquer
method.

Also watch for glue runout of the joints when assembling. This will
ruin the stain and your laquer finish as quick as anything.

Rob