Replies

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Sep 10, 2000 01:14am | #1

   *
   The black staining is interesting. Find an inconspicuous corner, use neat alcohol and a tooth brush. Scrub the alcohol with the grain to get the polish out of the pores. I'm assuming open grain here, not grain filled. Wipe off with a paper towel or cloth. This should remove the polish and you can find out if the staining is in the polish or in the timber. I'm hoping the staining is just the shellac reacting to something, because it's old or contaminated in some way. If this test stripping method works, and the stain is just in the polish, strip the whole thing replacing the tooth brush with a large brush, of course. Lots of alcohol might be required for final washing down. Perhaps a gallon or more. Repolish with fresh polish. Try a test corner before you proceed with the whole chest though. Once bitten, twice shy, eh?

   Alcohol should dissolve shellac readily enough, because it's a component of the polish. I can't imagine that this won't strip it, but if it fails do the same test with lacquer thinner, and strip with this if need be. After that you're down to proprietory(sp?) strippers, e.g., methyl chloride formulations.

   No doubt you'll get back and let us know what transpires. Sliante.

1. 
   Derrell_Day | Sep 10, 2000 01:19am | #2

   *Sgian,Thanks for the quick reply...Is neat alcohol and denatured alcohol similar?

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Sep 10, 2000 01:29am | #3

   *Same stuff. Neat in my vocabulary just means undiluted. I guess British English and terminology throws Americans. I'm assuming you are American. Sliante.

1. 
   Howard_Acheson | Sep 12, 2000 02:28am | #4

   *Sounds like a tannin reaction which is what oak does when it contacts some iron or steel. Is it possible your old shellac can has rusted somewhere?

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Sep 12, 2000 12:10pm | #5

   *Howard, The same thought occurred to me, and I'm rather hoping that isn't the case. Perhaps we'll hear back from Derrell? Delivery of the piece should have been yesterday if my maths is correct. Sliante.

2. 
   Derrell_Day | Sep 13, 2000 02:54am | #6

   *Thanks everyone..here's the rest of the story.I was able to sand the majority of trouble spots and re-apply fresh shellac and the piece was presentable. I have mixed feelings about the overall quality of what I delivered. I'm not a perfectionist, but I do believe in doing the very best I can at all times. I share that because I believe you guys can understand.I dug the old shellac can out of the garbage and upon inspection I did find rust spots in the portion of the can that was above the line of thinned shellac.Moral of the story..never will I be so driven as to allow supposed efficiency and conservation to push me into making a dollar saving decision that compromises the integrity of my work and my committment to excellence.