I have a quartersawn oak table I initially finished with 2 coats pure tung followed by Rennesiance wax after cure. Now, 1 mo later, I want to add better protection and figure shellac is my best option, but am concerned about the wax. I was thinking I could reduce it with mineral spirits or naptha, but don’t want to harm the tung oil. I’ve heard shellac contains wax and is somewhat compatable with paste wax residue.
Anyone offer any advice here?
Thanks
Peter
Replies
Adding finishes on top of wax is not recommended.
You are right that you may disolve the wax, but you may not be able to get it all off.
Then there is the question of how your tung oil will respond to spirits..
Of course, you could try it out on a small surface, but personally I'd probably worry too much to try it.
You can remove the wax sufficiently to accept a top coat of shellac. Mineral spirits will do the job. Be sure to use plenty of paper towels so that you remove the wax dissolved in the mineral spirits, not just move it around. After a month of curing, the tung oil will not be harmed by mineral spirits.
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