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least common denominator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Pedro,CA
Posts: 22,506
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Stripping paint off an old cedar chest, how to?
Inherited my mom's old cedar chest, not sure how old it is but it has been in the family for a few decades (as long as I can remember).
It is about 18x18x48 inches, my wife likes to knit so it will make a good stash for her yarn addiction... I mean collection. Problem being my elderly father (RIP) got bored one day and slathered it with ugly yellow paint. My concern is that cedar being so soft how to remove the paint with out damaging the wood. I would like to strip it down to the wood, not sure what if any finish was on it before dad painted it, I vaguely remember it was a natural finish (it was at the foot of my parents bed and I rarely if ever entered their bedroom). Pretty sure we have some wood workers out in PPOT land... so what would you do? TIA!
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Gary Fisher 29er 2019 Kia Stinger 2.0t gone  1995 Miata Sold 1984 944 Sold I am not lost for I know where I am, however where I am is lost. - Winnie the poo. |
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10-27-2015, 03:29 PM
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Lots of snow Porsche away
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Circa 1850 stripper is very effective.....but not so crazy as to eat the wood below. Slather it in, then work it with a scraper, wire brush or steel wool then water neutralize...you will need to sand the wood after of course, it will lift some of the dry surface fibres of the wood but a quick sand will clean that up.
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76 911S 86 GMC K1500 78 XS750 cafe racer to be 79 XS750 because one is just not enough |
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10-27-2015, 03:32 PM
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
Posts: 20,886
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Soy-Gel by franmar. Soy based, really works well on everything I've tried. Water cleanup, biodegradable, no smell.
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10-27-2015, 03:51 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fla panhandle / Roaming in my motorhome
Posts: 4,332
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You might try sanding a spot to see how that goes. Stripping will end up bring it down to fresh wood, no patina left. Careful sanding may being it down to a previous finish with character.
Some paints will soften with heat to allow scrapping off. Good luck, take pics for us. Cheers Richard |
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10-27-2015, 04:44 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: North of You
Posts: 9,160
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I have had good luck with a heat stripper...
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"A machine you build yourself is a vote for a different way of life. There are things you have to earn with your hands." |
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10-27-2015, 06:55 PM
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Now in 993 land ...
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Heat gun - carefully. If that does not work, chemical stripper. I like strippers.
G |
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10-27-2015, 07:34 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: bottom left corner of the world
Posts: 22,687
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Give it a go. It probably had one of those early varnishes, such as French Polish, which will work as a releasing agent/barrier between the paint and the wood. So the paint won't have sunk in to the grain. It sounds like fun.
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10-27-2015, 08:16 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: bottom left corner of the world
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Quote:
 espcialy when the heat gun doesn't remove the paint. Last edited by Bill Douglas; 10-27-2015 at 08:20 PM.. |
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10-27-2015, 08:17 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Capistrano Beach, Ca.
Posts: 7,235
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Quote:
Quote:
Seems to me a handful of dollar bills would work.
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L.J. Recovering Porsche-holic Gave up trying to stay clean Stabilized on a Pelican I.V. drip |
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10-28-2015, 06:20 AM
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Quote:
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10-28-2015, 06:24 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fla panhandle / Roaming in my motorhome
Posts: 4,332
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^^ post of the week! LOL
Cheers Richard |
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10-28-2015, 07:33 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Northside, Brooklyn
Posts: 2,350
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Can't beat that answer by ossiblue....
There is a company in Stamford, CT probably one in other states : Ohio etc. That you can take something big and have it dipped in stripper bath. Now that sounds environmentally illegal.
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jt '83 SC '96 M3 6 Bicycles 2 Sailboats |
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10-28-2015, 07:41 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: I be home in CA
Posts: 7,681
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Red Cedar is very soft and mars easily. I have built a number of Red Cedar Chests and ALWAYS used Shellac for a finish. The following link is the best advice I have found for Red Cedar furniture.
How to Refinish a Cedar Chest | DoItYourself.com
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Dan |
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10-28-2015, 08:08 AM
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Fun Fun Fun
1984 Porsche Targa 3.2L
