View Full Version : Stripping Old Finish
tnerb
10-25-2009, 10:13 PM
Sorry for the delay in reporting back.
I bought the Citrustrip and it actually works pretty good. Took the old finish off down to the tinted wood. Been using a toothbrush with Acetone to get into the nooks and crannies. After that's done I'll use Acetone and medium steel wool to give it a final going over. Then lite sanding and stain and finish.
Whew! Now I know why the stripping shops charge so much.
Brent
dusty
10-26-2009, 06:57 AM
Sorry for the delay in reporting back.
I bought the Citrustrip and it actually works pretty good. Took the old finish off down to the tinted wood. Been using a toothbrush with Acetone to get into the nooks and crannies. After that's done I'll use Acetone and medium steel wool to give it a final going over. Then lite sanding and stain and finish.
Whew! Now I know why the stripping shops charge so much.
Brent
Yeah, except that they drop the whole thing into a big vat and it comes out completely stripped. Little or no hand work involved.
etc92guy
10-26-2009, 01:20 PM
......and imagine what it does to the glue joints. Had that done in the past and picked up pieces.
All your labor is kinder and gentler.
tnerb
10-27-2009, 10:39 PM
......and imagine what it does to the glue joints. Had that done in the past and picked up pieces.
All your labor is kinder and gentler.
Yes. I had to glue several joints that had failed. Also, my lite sanding has turned into a major pain (in the fingers). The moulded mitered corners are not even. The dark tint hid this fact, but since I'll be using a lite stain with a clear finish, they would stand out like a sore thumb.
charlese
10-28-2009, 09:17 PM
Yes. I had to glue several joints that had failed. Also, my lite sanding has turned into a major pain (in the fingers). The moulded mitered corners are not even. The dark tint hid this fact, but since I'll be using a lite stain with a clear finish, they would stand out like a sore thumb.
Are these tables old enough they would have been assembled with animal glue? I am guessing the newer yellow glue would not have failed fro stripping. Maybe I am saying I hope it wouldn't!
Pertaining to the molded mitered corners - Wood Putty can do wonders here! Not wood filler, but PUTTY! It comes in colors and two or more colors can be mixed to match the piece. Putty is applied after the finish and extra putty can be buffed away.
tnerb
10-28-2009, 11:32 PM
Are these tables old enough they would have been assembled with animal glue? I am guessing the newer yellow glue would not have failed fro stripping. Maybe I am saying I hope it wouldn't!
Pertaining to the molded mitered corners - Wood Putty can do wonders here! Not wood filler, but PUTTY! It comes in colors and two or more colors can be mixed to match the piece. Putty is applied after the finish and extra putty can be buffed away.
The tables are old. but they're solid Oak. They've been in the Family for more years than I can remember. That's why I'm taking the trouble to re-finish them.
Don't know about the glue that was used, looks like it might be hide glue, but they sure used a lot of staples and nails in the rail to leg joints.
As far as the mitered corners, I didn't explain myself to well. What I meant to say was where the corners meet at the 45 degree angle, the routed profile on the egdes was not routed correctly. The corners looked fine under the dark finish, but when stripped, some were sanded across the opposite corner so the miters didn't meet at the joint.
Sorry to be so long winded.
Brent
charlese
10-29-2009, 01:54 AM
Don't know about the glue that was used, looks like it might be hide glue, but they sure used a lot of staples and nails in the rail to leg joints.
As far as the mitered corners, I didn't explain myself to well. What I meant to say was where the corners meet at the 45 degree angle, the routed profile on the edges was not routed correctly. The corners looked fine under the dark finish, but when stripped, some were sanded across the opposite corner so the miters didn't meet at the joint.
Brent
Hi, Brent!
I'll bet is is hide glue that had loosened in the leg rail joints long ago from damp storage/hard use. Sounds to me the staples and nails were a later fix.
I understand the joints being sanded across the mitered edge. This is often a detail that is never noticed by others than the maker. I've done a couple of those myself, when failing to get the miters dead on.
tnerb
10-29-2009, 10:12 PM
Hi, Brent!
I'll bet is is hide glue that had loosened in the leg rail joints long ago from damp storage/hard use. Sounds to me the staples and nails were a later fix.
I understand the joints being sanded across the mitered edge. This is often a detail that is never noticed by others than the maker. I've done a couple of those myself, when failing to get the miters dead on.
Hi Chuck, been there and done that myself a time or two.
One problem of being a woodworker. We tend to notice things like that and want them as good as we can get them.
Brent