Step 10 - Finishing
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 The shop is all cleaned up and the drop cloths are in place to protect the equipment, so first thing we need to do is get out our finishing supplies: some clean mineral spirits, a can of lacquer thinner, a small paint brush, a 2½" paint brush for applying stain, the stain, a tack cloth, a few clean rags and a roll of paper towels, a pair of nitrile gloves and our sprayer, and a quart of semi-gloss lacquer.
 The first step is to use a tack cloth to remove any dust tat settled out overnight. Then we stain the backs of the drawer fronts, which have been removed from the drawer boxes because the boxes don't get stained. We start by using the small brush to apply a liberal amount of clean mineral spirits to the end grain part of the drawer fronts. End grain is thirsty and will drink up lots of stain, making it considerably darker than the rest. To make it all come out the same color, we fill the end grain with the same solvent used in the stain (this is an oil based stain so we use mineral spirits) then stain while it;s still wet. Works like a charm.
 When the backs are done, I flip them over and do the fronts and knobs. While the stain is setting on those, I apply stain to the front grid of the cabinet. While that sets up, I go back and wipe off the drawer fronts and apply stain to one end of the cabinet. Then wipe off the front grid and apply stain to the back of the cabinet.&nbap; Then wipe off the end... and so on until all surfaces are done.
Now the stain must sit undisturbed until it's dry to the touch. If we get to this point in the morning, and the weather is warm and fairly dry, we can often shoot the lacquer later in the evening of the same day. Otherwise it sits overnight and we shoot it the next day.
 We were able to apply the lacquer the same day in this case. First we reassemble the drawers. Each box and each front are numbered, match up the numbers and everything fits just like it did before. Everything gets a coat of lacquer, then we abandon shop until it's dry... lacquer fumes are highly toxic.
 When it's dry, I use a very fine sanding sponge to scuff (smooth) the first coat. Remove the fine sanding dust with a tack cloth and apply a second coat.
Leaving my respirator on, I clean out the spray gun with lacquer thinner and put away the tools. Today the used rags go in the woodstove, in the summer they go into an air tight bucket to prevent spontaneous combustion.
Clean out the brushes (as far away from the just finished cabinet as possible so nothing splatters on the fresh lacquer) put away the supplies and lock up. Nothing more can be done today.
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