Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Glenn! Can't wait for spring so that I can "Restore" my Mom's treadle. I want her to be beautiful again. Do you have any tips on cleaning the iron on her?

Thanks again, Glenn. Another great tut from "the Skipper." :)

Tropit thanks for finding this. Glenn thanks for the tutorial. This might be just what I need for the Singer 27 treadle I'm starting on. There's some veneer that really can't be saved but this should clean up the rest of the wood quite nicely.
Rodney

Any guess what type of veneer this is.
 

Nooooo please don't tell me my husband was right AGAIN!!! He'll never let me live this down.
But thank you anyway.

Wow that was really interesting, who knew but I know people today aren't refinishing these treadle cabinets with gum wood. I'll go with the oak since DH will be happy with a "I told you so" and if it doesn't come out right I can say he told me too.

Thank you Smorris for the link. Great story about veneer and "plywood".
Thank you Glen for your restoring formula I have used it several times now. I have one question about the cleaning method, should it be don before or after I have glued some pieces back together. I have been cleaning with solution 1 and then gluing. Cleaning up after the glue has dried and then going on with 2 and 3.
Some of these guys are so grungy they have to be cleaned before hand.
Helenann

I didn't see the answer to this....I understand the ratio of 4 parts versus 1 part, but what is that total volume that you are adding a couple of drops to?

I always use a one/fourth cup measure as my 1 part
1 cup of w vinegar 1 cup of boiled linseed, 1 cup mineral spirits, 1/4 cup denatured alcohol and 3-4 drops of household ammonia.

Glenn, I hope you can help. I'm refurbishing a mid-century Singer cabinet, you know, the good old particle board and laminate style. It had the requisite paint splatters, water rings, red nail polish, and something black and gummy. I've been able to clean it up satisfactorily using Howard's but there are lots of spots where the finish is completely gone. Some of it lifted while cleaning but there are spots where it was already gone. I'd like to remove all of the lacquer, my guess, and refinish it. My instincts tell me to use denatured alcohol but I'm not sure. I definitely don't want to sand it. What do you suggest I use to remove it? Then once removed should I use lacquer and, if so, do you recommend spray or brush on?

You've always been so generous with your advice and I want to add my expression of gratitude. So ... Thank you!

Jan

If the laminate is wood you can use alochol but if the finish is lacquer then you will need a stripper stuff with acetone in it. If the alochol works use it. Then when dry for several days you can apply a shellac finish( easier to repair if damaged in the future. Lacquer is hard to apply with a brush. You will need to spray if usiing lacquer. An oil based varnish can be brushed on with a good brush with no problems. I do not recommend water based poly to plastic looking for me. I do not think sanding is a very good idea. No problems with the questions I will answer them where ever they are posted. Glad I can help. Thank you so much my pleasure.
Skip

Thank you, Glenn. I pretty sure it is wood veneer. I can see distinct grainlines and there's at least one seam on the top side of the lid as well as some variations in the color. I'll start with the alcohol tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks again!

Jan

Glenn, do you need to put shellac on the wood before waxing with Briwax? I think the shellac is off the wood from my various cleanings. (By the way, I will have to order it online because we have none around where I live, either.) also, a question about the Briwax... You said Dark Mahogany or Dark Walnut would be fine, but I see nothing with those colors online, only Dark Brown, I think it was. Will that work? Thank you!

P.S. Glenn, is there a particular shellac that is best for a novice to use?

You need to shellac before using the briwax. I would use the shellac you get from Lowes in a gt can. this will be fine for what you are doing. You can order shellac flakes and mix them with alcohol if you like but not needed. Don't worry about the name on the briwax if it says dark brown this will do fine.

PS you want the clear shellac

Thank you!

You are most welcome.
Skip

Glenn, can you put shellac over the Briwax? I have some Briwax in dark ordered and don't have access to water based stains here. I hate to order some online because of picking colors and shipping costs. I was thinking maybe I could just use the Briwax both before AND after the shellac?

Sorry you can't use shellac over wax it will not stick. You can however go to the local hardware store and buy minwax oil based stain in small cans. Apply according to directions and let cure for 24 hours and then you can shellac. It can be whatever brand they carry in the store. The wax is only used after the finsih coat is applied such as shellac.
Skip

Ok. Since you recommended the water based stain I figured I should avoid the oil based ones. Thank you, again.

The new water based stains are not as good as the aniline dye water based stains. That is why I said oil based. Also the new water based stains you get at Lowes or a hardware store have a muddy look to them and the oil base does not.
Sorry for the confusion.

I found a good (I think) wood dye from a wood working shop in Boise. It is made by General Finishes. I am working and practicing on the FW card table I got. Love the stain, hate the shellac which several of you say is so easy to use! Obviously, I am doing something wrong! I have gotten blotches, streaks, thick areas next to thin areas, and shine next to dull.

Help? Could you post a video of exactly how you do this sometime? You all say it is easy, but I sure can't get it right. I have tried several times, sanding it off and starting over... Then sometimes I have diluted the shellac down with denatured alcohol and tried to "melt and blend." It is not working for me. I need to see someone doing it, I guess. I have tried to find a video tutorial online, but have not found one that shows how to do this.

French polishing seems to be put on extremely thinly, which I didn't do the first times I tried getting the shellac on... But I tried to follow your instructions on QB instead of googling it first.

I wish you lived next door so that I could come over and watch you shellac!!

You are not doing anything wrong. You just are not applying enough coats. the first coat will be dull and not uniform. The seconed coat will get better and the third will be great. Shellac has to be build up in layers. If you thin the shellac to much it will soak into the wood and will require more coats to build up the finish. After the last coat as cured for a week or so buff with wax and fine steel wool then buff to a shine. I use briwax.

Oh. Pkay, then, I will keep adding more coats of shellac. Do you add any dematured alcohol to it, or use it straight? And didn't recmmend using a lint free cloth to apply? Using it straight on the piece dries so fast that the cloth sticks to the wood before I can swipe twice in a row, the same spot! And I get ridges at the edge.

In my instruction I think I said to add a drop or two of linseed oil to the shellac on the rag to keep the rag from sticking. I did say to use a lint free rag in the french polishing. You can add about a 1/4 cup alcohol to the shellac to thin it down some. You go in a circular motion when french polishing and then swipe with the grain at the last. If you use a rag to apply shellac always use a drop or two of linseed oil. In your case just brush on three or four coats of shellac. You can sand lightly between coats to remove any brush marks. Wait a day between coats to allow curing time.

The linseed oil makes a difference! I use your mixture as a basic then tweak it according to need and weather. Right now, our humidity makes everything gooey.

On another note, I have rescued a container (never used) that I plan on storing solution #1 in. At times, a brush would be helpful for applying this to larger areas, keeping the solution clean. I don't plan on brushing it on heavily, just brush to apply and then use the rag for that specific small area. These containers have a built in brush!! Someone's trash is my treasure.

Okay, Glenn, I missed the linseed oil part. I'll do that. And, add 1/4 denatured alcohol to how much shellac?

Thank you.

1/4 cup alcohol to one gt shellac.

:thumbup: Got it.

I am about to apply veneer to the top components of a Victorian White cabinet. Pieces separated (even the top frame), veneer removed, sanded, cleaned and ready for the next step. Insert screeching halt here.

I've researched so many ways to apply veneer that I need help! I've decided to use wood glue and have a tentative solution for all over pressure, a large slab of granite. So many questions!!! Should I start a new thread?

You can keep it here. I usually use contact cement instead of glue no need to clamp and easy to use. Cut the veneer about 1/8" oversize you can sand down later to meet the edge when the cement cures. If you don not have a perfectly flat surface with weight you will get ripples in the veneer because of the uneven pressure when you use wood glue. If you use glue make sure the granite covers the entire area to be glued and the still place heavy objects evenly over the granite (hope the granite is very flat) such as bricks or a five gallon bucket full of water for the extra weight. Lay wax paper between the granite and the veneer so if glue seeps up it will not stick to the granite.

Thank you! I did use wood glue because I wanted workable contact time. The granite is 3/4" thick and very flat. I checked. I used a brayer and rolled out any potential air bubbles before placing a very thin layer of closed cell foam between the granite and veneer. Tomorrow will tell if it worked.

Looking forward to seeing the results.
Skip

Here they are! There were two small corners, the back squared ones, that didn't receive enough glue. Less than 1/4" needed regluing. The first pic is after a slight trim, the second, after trim and sanding. Learned a great deal about trimming, and how glorious a sanding foam pad is when the right grit of sandpaper is used with it. Those front curves were what had me SO nervous. I've tapped it lightly all over to check for air pockets. So far so good!

Finally, the chunk of granite and foam I used. I only have five clamps and not enough edge space to have made that method viable. To do it again, I'll thin down the glue a mite bit. Now on to the lowest section. The one in the middle seems to be fine! Nothing like protection by the top over all those the years.

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Nice job Annette, your cabinet will be beautiful. Taping the corners down was good. We do that also when something is not glued down a little.
Skip

Thank you! My DH came home and gave me tips to improve on my "next time." I plan on keeping only two treadles. One to sew on for peace, my Alvah, and one for beauty and sewing, my WFR. I will veneer others for the joy of giving. Now, onto the irons...

Glenn, your suggestion of contact cement for veneering was spot on! After using wood glue on the White, I contemplated using it again when a Singer 66 treadle came my way. The top wasn't horrid but wasn't going to be an easy clean up.

Used a scraper and heat gun to loosen and remove the old battered oak top, that took less than 10 minutes. Then from prep to placement of veneer was about 30 minutes. Five minutes of that was looking for the cement! A good rollering and today it is being trimmed, sanded, and stained. SOO much easier! I used a cheap chip brush to put the goo on and then tossed it. No clean up. Thanks!