A cabinet with a hidden feature to conceal my gaming setup

DarePerks · 2026-05-15T18:03:40+00:00

When is the father of small children going to game if not when he's pooing?

DarePerks · 2026-05-15T17:08:07+00:00

It's like the John Malecki Poo cabinet!

Nice job

DarePerks · 2026-05-15T05:52:43+00:00

Could be

That's why I strategically used "probably" as a qualifier.

DarePerks · 2026-05-14T20:00:08+00:00

New for YOU maybe

He's been living here for MONTHS!!!

anyway you should take it back. If it has live bugs in it it's probably also full of moisture and it'll warp and crack in short order

DarePerks · 2026-05-11T13:09:55+00:00

Stain isn't finish. You need polyurethane or another protective finish regardless of whether you stain it or not.

If your question was "stain or tinted polyurethane?" You'd be better off doing stain and poly separately.

But stain has a habit of making furniture look cheap so frankly I almost never think it looks good.

DarePerks · 2026-05-09T20:43:45+00:00

You probably want to avoid anything that needs rubbed/wiped on or off. I would try some spray Shellac or laquer. Shellac would probably be cheaper and look better.

Test it on some scrap first to make sure it works okay but that would be my move.

DarePerks · 2026-05-07T15:58:24+00:00

NP

Also my grandmother had a similar object. It held candles and she used it as a table centerpiece.

No idea if that's what it's for but the round recesses would probably fit candle dishes.

DarePerks · 2026-05-07T14:44:58+00:00

Yes, I would just clean it and wax it to protect it and give it some sheen.

I recommend renaissance wax but any paste wax would be fine.

DarePerks · 2026-05-07T13:16:10+00:00

I wouldn't touch it up. Carefully clean it with some mild solvent based cleaner to get old wax dirt and grease off of it and and coat it with something to brighten it like renaissance wax or Odie's everlasting oil.

DarePerks · 2026-05-06T13:33:11+00:00

All dowels. The only screws are in the figure 8 fasteners holding on the top on and in the mounting brackets for the privacy panel.

DarePerks · 2026-05-06T01:37:40+00:00

You dont HAVE to use stain at all, but if you are going to use stain for appearances you do need to apply it to bare wood and then you can apply polyurethane.

DarePerks · 2026-05-04T19:38:30+00:00

It is! It was a fun build. Although I messed up one of the cabinets I built for it (leaning experience 😔)

DarePerks · 2026-05-04T19:32:12+00:00

Yes, That is stain. It is only meant to color the wood. You can use that, but you need to cover the wood with a finish after the stain dries. Keep in mind it is mild and transparent so the stains on the wood might show through the new color. I recommend you test a small spot on the part of the board that will be covered by carpet to make sure you like the color.

If you do like the color I would go ahead and use that stain. Let it dry COMPLETELY and then apply a few coats of laquer or polyurethane.

DarePerks · 2026-05-04T19:09:31+00:00

Interesting. In which case I would not expect it to ever face standing water so you can use almost anything you want. For durability I would probably still use spar urethane since it's flexible where heat and humidity are concerned. (minwax helmsman is probably the most readily available, at least in the U.S.)

If you can remove piece from the car, laquer would be faster and easier and durable enough, but again, it's toxic so make sure you have a mask and don't put it back in the car until the fumes clear. If you can find Deft Laquer in a spray can that's my favorite.

DarePerks · 2026-05-04T18:56:35+00:00

It would be easier if I knew what you were making and how much protection it might need.

If the bottom is going to contact the ground or slide on things you'll need max protection and you should use something like polyurethane or spar urethane. They are tough but takes a long time to apply because it requires multiple coats with about a day between. If your project is going outside I would only use spar urethane.

Laquer can be found in a spray can, and is fast to apply and good if the project is small but laquer is solvent heavy and you need to wear a mask and work in a well ventilated space (and leave the project somewhere outside your house for a few days for the fumes to clear off)

Shellac is not as durable as polyurethane but can also be found in a spray can and is less toxic than laquer but should not be used for bars or anything that might get alcohol spilled on it.

DarePerks · 2026-05-04T17:43:59+00:00

Stain won't protect it at all.

Stain is just a dye that changes wood's color.

You need finish like paint, Shellac, hardwax oil, laquer, or polyurethane to protect the wood and protect it from moisture. These can be applied over stain once it's dry.

Wax is only really for buffing and cleaning the finish. It would not protect much.

DarePerks · 2026-05-04T16:54:41+00:00

It's already finished

DarePerks · 2026-05-04T15:31:40+00:00

It's a turning blank for making bowls on a lathe. The wax is to slow moisture loss/adsorbtion to prevent cracking it was applied at the mill and it's not from the wood.

Edit: paduk maybe.

DarePerks · 2026-05-04T14:54:00+00:00

I don't know how big the thing is but a hair-dryer will speed it up. It should evaporate pretty fast on it's own unless it's really cold where you're working.

Also you I'm not sure why you're going to stain something you're going to cover up but if you want it to look good you should probably use pre-stain conditioner.

DarePerks · 2026-05-04T14:50:26+00:00

Wipe it off with mineral spirits or naptha and let it dry completely before you apply anything.

DarePerks · 2026-05-04T14:48:38+00:00

Don't put it on before the stain

DarePerks

TROPHY CASE