I am in the process of making a jewelry box from curly maple and wanted the grain to pop. After much research online I chose to wipe apply BLO and then Sam Maloof Oil/Poly finish (this is my first experience with these products). In my haste I have over applied the Oil/Poly and now after two coats the surface of the box is thick, inconsistent and almost sticky. Is there anything I can do to salvage the finish I have already applied short of stripping it down to the bare wood. Any help you guys can provide is appreciated.
Jim
Replies
Stripping it will not be difficult at all, and I would think that your hard work will be rewarded by doing that, and applying the finish properly. How did you get it on so thick? You could wipe on a varnish finish very easily and nicely. For a box like that shellac might really be a wonderful finish after an application of an oil to pop the grain.
First and quickest thing to try is to use mineral spirits rubbed on with 3/0 steel wool. Rub in the direction of the grain. Use lots of paper towels to remove the resulting gunk. Rub until the surface is dry. Let it dry overnight and see how it looks. If it looks OK, let it dry 24 more hours. Then sand with 320 paper and apply one more coat of your oil/varnish.
The proper way to apply any oil/varnish mixture is to wipe it on, let is set for 15-20 minutes and then wipe off all the excess. Not wiping thoroughly will result in a soft, gummy surface.
If the mineral spirits does not remove the gumminess, you will have to use a chemical paint stripper and remove all the finish and start over.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled