In this study, we consider stationary waiting times in finite-buffer 3-node single-server queues in series with a Poisson arrival process and with either constant or non-overlapping service times. We assume that each node has a finite buffer except for the first node. The explicit expressions of waiting times in all areas of the stochastic system were driven as functions of finite buffer capacities. These explicit forms show that a system sojourn time does not depend on the finite buffer sizes, and also allow one to compute and compare characteristics of stationary waiting times at all areas under two blocking rules communication and manufacturing blocking. The goal of this study is to apply these results to an optimization problem which determines the smallest buffer capacities satisfying predetermined probabilistic constraints on stationary waiting times at all nodes. Numerical examples are also provided.