Help help! Am still worried about this mixture...

The dark color on the top of the right is linseed oil and sometimes the oil will mix with the turps. don't worry just keep shaking and using it to clean the cabinet. Feel free to adjust the mixture as you see fit. More oil or alcohol or turps. This solution will not hurt any of the wood. Just don't add to much alcohol it will remove the shellac finish. Don't worry just cont to use the mixture. As I said it will not hurt a thing. If you mixed it as instruction for solution 1 you are fine.

Linseed oil - don't leave rags with linseed oil on them laying around. My BIL did that and had a fire break out in his home.

I don't know the science behind it, but I do know that this is true.

Phew! I'll keep soldiering along then. If the bentwood top comes out as beautifully as the base did, I'll be thrilled! Thanks again (and again and again)!

Hello Glenn,
I have been working on my White treadle cabinet. I used solution #1 to clean all of the wood, and a very soft toothbrush with the solution to clean in and around the carved wood. Like you describe, the finish becomes a bit dull after this treatment.

Then I used #2. This looked very good, and the wood soaked it in completely after a few hours. I haven't waxed it yet, because a few areas on the top have flaked shellac.

I thought I would try a bit of denatured alcohol and steel wool, to see if I could smooth those areas out. That may have been a bit risky, but if it didn't work I was pretty sure I'd need to move into sanding that down anyway. Interestingly, the alcohol did kind of *melt* the shellac as we would expect it to do, but the steel wool didn't have quite enough bite to completely smooth down the flaky bits.

But what I didn't expect is the brilliant shine that came up just from the alcohol and steel wool! I mean, that area really has a high gloss! It's not entirely smooth (like a final finish or a french polish) because I wasn't really trying to polish it -- just trying to smooth out the rough areas in the finish.

So now I'm wondering if I should do more of this, more carefully, before I wax it? Right now #2 has soaked in completely and while the wood is pretty and the slightly cloudy effect from #1 is gone, overall the finish is very dull. Maybe I overdid it with #1?

Thank you for all of your help, and any advice is appreciated!

Ellpea aka Pamela

No Pamela you did not over do #1. You are feeling the grain of the wood but this is no problem. Oak has a course grain. If you sand with fine paper you will remove shellac and it will have to be replaced. Before doing anything else use a good paste wax like briwax and fine steel wool for the application. Try this in a small area first. The finish will appear cloudy after #1 and sometimes #2 but will go away with french polsih or waxing. Also try a little french polish Shallac and linseed oil and this will blend the shellac better with the old. What we are trying to do is fill in shellac to level to a smooth feel. The only way to get a complete smooth surface is to sand until all si smooth and flat and recoat with shellac but this is usually the last resort. Just remember if you sand you will have to apply shellac in that area until it is level with the rest of the finish.
Skip

Hello Glenn, thanks for your helpful reply! Yes, filling in the shellac to level out to a smooth feel is what I'm hoping to do. If that is still rough (and it is) I did not think starting the waxing process would help (yet). When you say "try a little french polish Shallac and linseed oil," do you mean try the french polish *process* with shellac and alcohol you describe elsewhere followed by linseed oil? Or do you mean an application mixing shellac with linseed oil? Sorry to be so dense, but I don't want to make a mistake with this beautiful cabinet!
I really, REALLY appreciate the advice you give here!
Best
Ellpea aka Pamela

Take a soft rag dip in shellac then put a dew drops of linseed oil on top of the shellac and apply in a circular motion to blend. Yes french polish and don't worry about the high gloss that will appear. When you completely finish with cabinet the final waxing will buff to a nice satin finish without being to glossy. Let me know how it goes.
Skip

OK, will do! I'll have to get shellac (flakes, right?)... that's the only ingredient I don't have on hand.

BTW... do you have a recommendation for getting a redder hue to this oak? It is much more yellow/orange than I would like to see, will that tone down if I use a mahogany type wax?

The dark wax may darken the finish some but not by much. You may want to go over the cabinet with an aniline stain(water soluble) just don't mix as dark as the direction a little bit will do. But this has to be done before the french polish and waxing. I use shellac flakes but you can also use the clear shellac that comes in a qt can at Lowes or Home Depot. It will work fine if you have to order the flakes but a madder of choice here.