As with any job, preparation seems like 90% of the work involved.  From shaping and planing the wood to smoothing to finishing,  the majority of the work is in the prep.  Applying the finish is when you really start to see what you’ve done right or wrong in the prep.  Next project you have, see if your prep work pays off!

In the images above, we are making a Red Elm dining table which shows the table cut to its final dimensions, planed and sanded smooth before applying finish.