Replies

1. 
   Metod | Feb 10, 2012 07:13am | #1

   Gumming UP

   Lyptus,

   Gumming up will probably not happen, but I am not so sure about dulling the knives faster. Maybe polyurethane in itself, specially not cured, is not too bad. If it is not gloss, the flattening agent could be quite abrasive.

   I suggest that you try a card scraper - you might like he results. You will notice how fast it dulls - not much to resharpen it.

   Best wishes,

   Metod

2. 
   BruceS | Feb 10, 2012 09:29am | #2

   My choice would be to start with a hand scraper or a RO sander with an open coat sterated paper.  And be sure to have the RO sander hooked up to a shop vac,  it helps keep the paper cooler and you get less "pilling".   also clean the paper often with a gum rubber disc/belt eraser.

3. 
   RalphBarker | Feb 10, 2012 09:37am | #3

   finish removal

   Have you considered using one of the newer eco-friendly chemical strippers, instead?

4. 
   Lyptus | Feb 10, 2012 02:52pm | #4

   Any suggestions on eco-friendly chemical strippers?

1. 
   RalphBarker | Feb 11, 2012 12:05pm | #8

   recommendations

   Since I'm not a finishing (or, stripping) expert, I'd suggest asking the question in the Finishing section of the forum. The folks there will have much better answers than I.

2. 
   blopar | Feb 12, 2012 08:15pm | #10

   citrus strip

   I've had good success with Citrus strip, works well, no lingering odor.

5. 
   Rob_Sp | Feb 10, 2012 07:50pm | #5

   Finish Removal

   If you don't mind losing a bit of material, a planer will work just fine. If you just want to remove the finish, a simple cabinet scraper, properly prepared, will make short work of it, with no noise or dust. Eco frendly paint stripper????? Hey, I've got some polar bear habitat in east TN I would like to sell you...

6. 
   cedarlog | Feb 11, 2012 09:16am | #6

   Using planer to remove finish

   I ran some finished bed rails through my DW735 to re-use the wood.  It worked but it may also be the reason why wood began hanging instead of feeding smoothly through.  I cleaned the rollers more than once but it has not quite "healed."  If someone has a different explanation, please tell me.  I like this planer (even though it makes an awful mess).

7. 
   cedarlog | Feb 11, 2012 09:16am | #7

   Using planer to remove finish

   I ran some finished bed rails through my DW735 to re-use the wood.  It worked but it may also be the reason why wood began hanging instead of feeding smoothly through.  I cleaned the rollers more than once but it has not quite "healed."  If someone has a different explanation, please tell me.  I like this planer (even though it makes an awful mess).

8. 
   Quickstep | Feb 12, 2012 07:10pm | #9

   I've done it, but I don't recommend it....

   I've done it using a jointer, but mine was on a piece of wood that started out fairly thick and was used just to test finishes. When I jointed, I removed a substantial amount of material so that the jointer knives were mostly cutting wood instead of just plowing through finish. I think if you just tried to remove just the finish, it would just gum up. If it makes you feel any better about not having a belt sander; a belt sander would likely just gum up too. I fear there's just no simple solution for removing finish. 

1. 
   Lyptus | Feb 20, 2012 06:48am | #11

   Thanks to all of your replies.  I ended up using a cabinet scraper to remove most of the finish and then using a very shallow pass on the jointer to get below the point where the dye (my first coat) soaked into the fibers.  It worked great.  

   - Lyptus