Im an advid wood worker but im stumped, any help?
Question:i have an old wrighting desk that im tryin to refinish. the finish seems to be a home brew of soom sorts, the hardest i have ever ran across in 2o years. no store bought product seems to cut it. does any one have any ideas to help outside of a lot of sanding?
Answers:
Used to come across stuff like on occasion. when I had my shop.
Never found out what it was
Serious commercial stripper & caustic would just turn it milky.
It would eventually move after the wood soaked up a lot stripper or the neutralizer wash after a caustic dip.
When it came off it was almost like a plastic film.
Clogged sandpaper also.
That sound like it?
Best guess it is some kind of casien based or eggwhite goo since mineral solvents barely touched it.
Might go with the heavy paste strippers that you put a wrap over to prevent evaporation of vapors.
Maybe a strong solution or paste made of Mex which is caustic.
You will have to neutralize w/ a weak acid solution.
It will also bleach the wood somewhat.
Hope that helps.
Best regards
Try using something 'different' from the 'varnish removers' you are probably using ... like a good strong 'paint remover' ... if that doesn't work, you may have to take your desk to a 'professional woodworker' to have it 'dipped' ... most pros have their own 'special mix' that they won't 'tell you the ingredients' but will do the 'dipping' for a price ... then you can 'refinish' your desk the way you want to.
Do they still sell 'Zip Strip'? I used that years ago on some old furniture with layers of paint, varnish and whatnot gunked all over it. Worked like magic.
You may have to "Bleach" the wood.
Be careful, if you do.
Check out in "Art Store"
i spread the orange stripper on the wood parts place in a bag sprinkle in some water then seal tight then after twelve hours scrape the finish ,then do it all again ,then sand off the remains, remember to wipe between coats of stripper with mineral spirits,, also did you try some lacquer remover or thinner that strips the real finishes like old alcohol bases like shellac and varnish,, but urethanes need the new stuff after the basic sanding try bleaching the wood several times then light sand then restain to the desired color,, ive been a pro-painter for 27 years ,
More Related Questions & Answers...