Steve wrote:

"bent" wrote in
:



NOTHING CUTS IT
Well I've done some scraping (claw scaper best) and sanding, and have
tried a few chemicals that are next to worthless. They sit on the
surface, bubble a bit, then when wiped off it just looks like a
cleaning. They will just melt a very thin top layer, but cannot cut
down to the wood, kinda like a spilled tequila. I am serious. Maybe
after thirty coats (liters). I tried the Oatey (with MEK) and $5 for
250mLLepage Poly Super Strippa extra strength (with methylene
chloride). Ive got half a dozen things with methyl alcohol and the
like, but its not even worth opening the bottle. Total complete joke
waste of time, as ever. Its much better to attack with tools or
sandpaper, no matter how affixed. Lots of labour and only half done.
So at least it wont be coming off anytime soon. So I say again to
anyone who needs to do this, good luck, youre going to need it.



That's pretty much the way strippers work. They all brag about removing
23 layers of paint at once, but I've never seen it in real life. I've
also noticed that they work better on paint than on
varnish/lacquer/polyurethane.



In my experience, varnish loosens more quickly but tends to remain in a
"sheet" more than paint.
When I am doing a large project of removing paint, I scrape off the mess
from the first application, into a coffee
can, and reuse it on another area. It is ugly and messy, but doesn't
seem to loose strength.

If the stripper dries out before you scrape, you've wasted your time.
You might try putting on a really thick coat of a gel-type stripper,
then covering it with something like aluminum foil to keep it from
evaporating. That will allow the solvents to work longer.

I've had the best luck with those that contain methlyene chloride.



Methylene chloride semi-paste is the only way to go, IMO. If not
applied thickly, it will dry
before it loosens the finish. There is nothing in the way of finishes
that I have found that will
not be taken off if used properly.