Assembly assistance?

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Hey folks, 

I'm about to assemble the base for a trestle table.  Material is red oak.  Finish will be wipe on oil based poly.  Wood will be stained but I don't know what color is wanted yet.

Here's the deal.  It's big.  It's heavy.  In fact, it's the biggest and heaviest thing I've ever built.  The joinery is draw bore M&T.  And I'm worried about messing something up by doing something out of order.

Here's what I *think* I should do.  

• Soften all hard corners
  
• Sand down to 220
  
• Apply stain to non-mating surfaces
  
• Apply poly to all non-mating surfaces
  
• Assemble and drive in draw bore dowels
  

Am I over thinking this?  Do I need to worry so much?  Should I just sand it all, assemble it, and then apply stain and poly?  My main concern is the tight spots inside the knee braces.

[fredhargis]

Before you do any finishing, do a complete dry assembly. It's really amazing how much that helps when you get ready to do the final glue up. You might want to soften the corners before you do that dry assembly....then the rest of your steps look to me like they are in the correct order.

[Cooler]

I used to soften the edges with a sander, but I recently got a 1/16" round-over bit and it is faster and the results are more uniform.    I got the solid carbide version with the  solid 1/8" diameter guide.  It allows the bit to get into tight corners. 

With the palm router this is a fast and foolproof system.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Thanks, gents! Much appreciated.

[Handplanesandmore]

Get an extra fellow to help with the lifting, clamping etc. (briefing ahead), if this wasn't already part of your plan.

Simon

[Paul K. Murphy]

I mean no disrespect, but I think that you might be overthinking it. You’ve been doing this a long time. I have confidence that you can choose a plan and perform the task with aplomb. You’re making simple choices with an underlying rationale. That’s competence. If I were your shop foreman, at this point I’d let you choose your own strategies though I might be there to assist (if you asked) at times when you believed a second opinion would help. In that same scenario, I’d be on the shop floor and I’d have a heck of a lot more familiarity with your project. If you were in the neighborhood the same rules would apply.
Go for it. You’re going to be fine. If you make a mistake or have a flawed strategy, you’ll be able to address it properly.
Question: Did you rive your cross-pins?

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Simon, my daughter is going to to help.

Paul, no offense taken! I was sure I was over thinking it.

I don't know what riving is in this case. Does it refer to sharpening the insertion end so that it'll fit better? I'm doing that.

[Paul K. Murphy]

Simon, my daughter is going to to help. 

Paul, no offense taken!  I was sure I was over thinking it.

I don't know what riving is in this case.  Does it refer to sharpening the insertion end so that it'll fit better?  I'm doing that.

Riving means split from the tree, not sawn.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Aaaah.

No, I was planning on using machined dowels.

[Paul K. Murphy]

Aaaah.

No, I was planning on using machined dowels.

I’d recommend wood that has been riven. You should be able to find a suitable piece, even from a firewood pile. Technically you want to be far enough from the pith that you aren’t using juvenile wood, but not so far you’re using sapwood. If you choose not to, I won’t call the police.