Hi Folks,,
My father made a mahogany desk about 50yrs ago and finished it with what I believe is resin. The finish is scratched and dented and I’m thinking about removing it and refinishing the desk.
I’m not sure how to remove this finish. It is thick. I know my father had to heat the resin to turn it to liquid so he could apply it. He did this in the basement of our house next to my bedroom so I had to endure the strong odor. He also built a 14 ft boat and finished it the same way.
Any advice that would help me remove the resin would be appreciated. I’m afraid that the heated resin might have gone right into the mahogany.
Ed
Replies
I'm not at all clear what the finish might be. Most finishes contain something that could be called a resin, but a resin with a strong odor that must be heated into a liquid state for application isn't something I'm familiar with.
That said, the most effective way to remove it is likely to be with a stripper containing methylene chloride. Test an inconspicuous spot. This is pretty noxious stuff, you want to use it only with really, really good ventilation--not just a couple of open windows.
Thanks for the reply Steve.
I've been thinking about the method my father used and am beginning to wonder if he just used resin and then possibly heated it to smooth out the finish. I was just a young fellow then and unfortunately did not take much of an interest in my fathers woodworking projects until I was an adult and started my own projects. The finish on the desk is like plastic and very high gloss.
The desk is solid, my father did a great job putting it together so I'd like to give it a softer finish that fits better with other furniture in our house.
Ed
I'm afraid Ed may be right. Getting it off could be very tough. It doesn't have to be shiny however. You could rub it out to a satin sheen. I'd start with 320 grit, or even 220 grit where it is really thick. Use wet/dry paper lubricated with water. A drop (literally) of hand dishwashing soap kills the surface tension. Work with a sanding block to flatten surfaces. Once you get the surfaces evenly scratched, which will also leave them flat, then start progressing to finer and finer grits. By the time you get to about 1000 grit it will have begun to see the finish start to clear up. Then you can use a rubbing compound to get to a more even satin finish. Progress to finer grits depending on how much shine you want to restore.
Sledge,
Sounds like this was a pour-on epoxy resin. If so it will be next to impossible to remove. It is frequently used on bar tops and other high traffic areas - but was probably overkill for the furniture your dad built.
Good luck,
Lee
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