Posted on 08/15/2009 12:48:35 PM PDT by djf
First ya get yerself some G1rL.... the kind with the shiney cans......an some brass polish.
Mix em up drink a beer waiting for everything to get dry then remove the rest using dollar bills.
More dollars ya use the more it comes off.
Hope that helps. ((Burp)y !
I’ve used the Homer Formby’s Tung oil in the past. Hand rubbed.
And it does give a great finish, but two factors count against it. Time, and the fact that it does take time to dry means you have to keep the piece in as dust free an environment as you can.
Recently, I’ve gotten very good results with the Minwax Polycrylic. Water based. You need to thin it down if applying by brush so that it goes on even and leaves no brush strokes. But do it right, and you are literally talking about 15 minutes time between coats.
My coffee table and living room set center piece are oak, I scraped them down, used the 220, then the steel wool, then about 6-8 coats of the Minwax and they came out really very, very good, considering I’m an amateur!
And lose your dang hat and cigarettes in the parking lot.
In fact I have treasures all of my one son’s 3 X wives.:O) and dearly love the 3 daughter-in-laws and one son-in-law that I have been blessed to have..
Haven’t come across Liquid Gold. Is that a hard finish or an oil? Sounds interesting...where do you get it?
And thanks to all the FReepers for their suggestions!
Hopefully, this thread gave folks a chance to think about things and learn a bit!
I will post a pic or two when it’s done!
I have an old oak library table that sits on 2 large pedestals and has rollers. I have no idea how old it is, but 3 times a year I use Liquid Gold and its great...Dried out wood just sucks it up...I rub it in with 4 0 steel wool and the next day wipe off any excess with cheesecloth...(or you could just let the liquid gold soak in for a couple of hours...don't pour it on like water, just enough to coat good...
A lifted piece of veneer can be reglued down and clamped for at least 24 hours. I once put some glue in a hypodermic needle barrel(we lived on a farm and gave shots to the animals.) and the needle fit into the crack and I was able to re glue a small piece down....
You only learn if you try...have a ball working with it and if you find a few new cuss words, don't tell us...we have are own new cuss words from doing stuff....:O)
Cheers to you, granny!
Update.
OK. A couple things I found out.
A friend of mine saw it and we’re both convinced it is mahogany, and it was shellaced.
I have it almost totally stripped and sanded now. The top table piece and the uprights are put together with pegs, and using very gentle force, I was able to disassemble it.
The button thingies are actually long, fine strips which were attached with very thin pins. I was also able to get them off.
The wood is really beautiful, about the color of oak but with a much finer grain. And quite a bit harder than oak.
I chose a stain called “Cabot Red Mahogany” to use and tested it on an upright and it went on great. Thinking now I might use a reddish but lighter stain on the flat table surface areas.
If it’s nice today I will snap some pics.
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