Replies

1. 
   nikkiwood | Feb 01, 2006 09:43am | #1

   Wiping it with paint thinner will do the trick. But keep turning your rag, or use new rags, so you just don't push the wax around.

   I would also be tempted to spray one coat of Sealcoat, to make sure there is no problem with residual wax. Then you can apply your final coat of whatever finish you started with.

   ********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

1. 
   DougU | Feb 01, 2006 07:03pm | #2

   I'm afraid that if I applied the seal coat that I might change the look somewhat? I dont know that, just speculating?

   I had always head and known that paint thinner would disolve wax, heck I use it to thin the wax if I think its to thick, but I was wondering if I would leave any oily residue?

   I'm spraying with water based urethane.

   Thanks

   Doug

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Feb 01, 2006 07:34pm | #3

   Using the mineral spirits as nikki recommends will work just fine.  Do the mineral spirits thing twice using lots of paper towels.  You will be fine.

   Be sure to scuff sand the existing finish with 320 paper.Howie.........

2. 
   K1500 | Feb 01, 2006 08:43pm | #4

   If you are worried about it, smear the other one with wax and take the wax off both with spirits.  As long as you treat both the same, they will come out the same.  Same goes for a sealer.  If you seal one, seal both.  If you scuff sand one, scuff sand both.

1. 
   DougU | Feb 01, 2006 11:35pm | #5

   Thanks Howie, K1500, and Nikki

   Doug

1. 
   nikkiwood | Feb 02, 2006 07:45am | #7

   By itself, the paint thinner should do fine. Just remember to go over it several times, and keep turning your rag. The shellac Zinsser uses in Sealcoat is the clear (blond) type, and won't add any color. I use this stuff all the time, either as a sealer coat for WB finishes, or as a barrier coat if I want to ensure adhesion.I don't think it is really necessary in your case; but it would guarantee adhesion in case you don't get every last bit of wax off the surface.********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

1. 
   DougU | Feb 02, 2006 08:50am | #9

   Nikki

   I've used paint thinner for years to clean  wax buildup off of antiques but who really cared if I got 100% of the wax off. I wasn't going to spray a coat of urethane over the old surface!

   I had always heard that there was a bit of oil in paint thinner and was afraid that maybe some residue might be left on the cabinet. Don't know if there is any truth to that but its always been in the back of my mind.

   My process for finishing this piece was to coat the raw wood with blond shellac, (didn't want any blotching)  stain it, spray three coats of tinted urethane on. It was the only way that I could achieve the final results that the customer wanted.

   The cabinet that she waxed amounts to a box about 16" wide by 30" high, with one side(21" deep) exposed, she hadn't even gotten to the drawer fronts yet  So its not really a large amount that I have to deal with but I didn't want to see sheets of urethane peeling off a month down the road.

   I could apply a coat of blond shellac over the box, hell, it'd take all of 10 minutes, that includes the clean up, and it would probably give some piece of mind.

   Thanks for the advice

   Doug

    

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 02, 2006 02:46pm | #10

   Mineral spirits is likely to be OK, but to be sure of having no residue you can use naptha which is a more consistent product and much less "oily" than some mineral spirits might be.  As was mentioned before, don't try to save on the solvent or on the rags and you'll be fine. 

2. 
   nikkiwood | Feb 02, 2006 04:46pm | #11

   I didn't think oil residue would be a problem -- especially if you were careful with your rags, and then let the piece sit long enough for the paint thinner to dry completely. But like you said, if you're spraying anyway, why take a chance (by not doing a a round with Sealcoat)?********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

3. 
   DougU | Feb 02, 2006 06:57pm | #12

   Thanks everybody, maybe I was just worried for nothing!

   Doug

4. 
   nikkiwood | Feb 03, 2006 06:18am | #13

   That's what cabinetmakers do --- i.e. worry a lot...............********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

3. 
   Ronaway | Feb 02, 2006 06:37am | #6

   Doug I believe that I would wax the other pieces with her wax and call it done. If you applied the first two coats of finish at your shop why did you want to put on the final coat on site?
   Just curious.

   Ron

1. 
   DougU | Feb 02, 2006 08:35am | #8

   Ron

   The reason that I'm shoting, or need to shot  a final coat on at the site is two fold, one, I'm tinting the finish because I cant stain it the color that she wants. She needs it to match the other pieces that are in the same room and with all the trial stuff that I did I found that a little tint in the finish was getting the results that she wanted.

   The other reason was that I've found that a final spray, when possible, on site, took care of any scuffs and mar's that happened in the transit and installation. Something that I've seen done at other places and worked well.

   The bad part is that the dark tinted wax still didnt get her the results that she wanted!

   She isnt an unreasonable customer, she just thinks that all pieces of wood in the same room should be identicle. The sample pieces that I made match exactly so thats why I think I'm going to need to spray that last coat, otherwise I'd opt for your suggestion. At least I get to charge her for the inconvienence.

   Doug