Replies

1. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Apr 19, 2001 03:51am | #1

   *
   Mike,

   If this is a restoration, I personally, would not use either. However, if this is a new piece using 90 year old Mahogany stock, I would consider the wipe on poly depending on what the piece's intended use is.

   Dano

1. 
   Michael_Bogino | Apr 20, 2001 01:41am | #2

   *Dano, Actually, this is a restoration, a player piano. What do you recomend I use? What would give me the best results?-Mike

1. 
   Dave_Arbuckle | Apr 20, 2001 05:44am | #3

   *My Dad has an old player piano, and it was shellacked. If it were mine, I would want to use what it originally had. Players are a kick, huh? :-)Dave

1. 
   CStanford_ | Apr 20, 2001 06:07pm | #4

   *You might consider one of the wiping French polishing products.... I think that you can find it in the Garrett Wade catalog. The brand name escapes me at the moment. It's supposedly easier for the beginner to achieve a nice finish, rather than the disaster one usually creates when learning how to brush shellac, or apply a French polish finish.

1. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Apr 21, 2001 07:35am | #5

   *Michael,IMHO, the best results for a restoration would be to use what was used originally. Here is a short primer on how to determine what the original finish is.Since you don't mention the presence of paint, I will assume there isn't any. Since we are talking about a piece that was built not long after the turn of the last century, I will also assume the final finish to be of shellac or lacquer.Test for the shellac first by using a cotton ball and making a very small puddle of denatured alcohol, let the puddle sit for a couple of minutes. Dab the cotton ball in the puddle, if it sticks, the finish is shellac. If it doesn't stick, repeat the process (in a different spot with a different cotton ball) using lacquer thinner, if it sticks the finish is more than likely nitrocellulose lacquer. If neither sticks, the finish is more likely to be a varnish.Shellac, lacquer, and varnish does not require a high level of skill to apply by hand at all. The key is using a high quality china bristle brush, moving quickly, and brushing into the previous finished section. If you want a more detailed primer on this, please feel free to e-mail me at my personal address. Click on my name and it will appear.Hope this helps and keep us posted.Dano