varnish strippers
 

I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.


thanks

varnish strippers
 

g spake thus:

I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.

Use the orange stuff ("Citristrip" or equivalent). Made from citrus
oils, very effective, non-toxic, even smells nice. Expen$ive but worth it.

For small items you can soak (typically metal parts, like hinges, pulls,
etc.), there's always brake fluid. It works slowly, but most paint will
dissolve in it if left for 24-48 hours.


--
Just as McDonald's is where you go when you're hungry but don't really
care about the quality of your food, Wikipedia is where you go when
you're curious but don't really care about the quality of your knowledge.

- Matthew White's WikiWatch (http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/wikiwoo.htm)

varnish strippers
 

g wrote:
I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.

They're all toxic.

Best cheapest ones are methylene chloride based. Vile as they
smell, they're mainly toxic to certain strains of white lab mice in
California. Minimize exposure by working outdoors, upwind.

varnish strippers
 

Father Haskell spake thus:

g wrote:

I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.

They're all toxic.

Not the citrus-derived ones.

Best cheapest ones are methylene chloride based. Vile as they
smell, they're mainly toxic to certain strains of white lab mice in
California.

Nope. Methylene chloride is a human carcinogen. Stay away from it!


--
Just as McDonald's is where you go when you're hungry but don't really
care about the quality of your food, Wikipedia is where you go when
you're curious but don't really care about the quality of your knowledge.

- Matthew White's WikiWatch (http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/wikiwoo.htm)

varnish strippers
 

David Nebenzahl wrote:
Father Haskell spake thus:

g wrote:

I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.

They're all toxic.

Not the citrus-derived ones.

Which gave me a splitting headache and made me feel
slightly drunk. Great at stripping lacquer from some old
Thomasville chairs I refinished, but far from benign.

Best cheapest ones are methylene chloride based. Vile as they
smell, they're mainly toxic to certain strains of white lab mice in
California.

Nope. Methylene chloride is a human carcinogen. Stay away from it!

How do the others compare?

varnish strippers
 

"g" wrote in message
...
I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.


thanks

Check out these folks,

http://www.franmar.com/oscommerce/index.php?cPath=21

We use these products for screen printing and they are great, no fumes no
smell, use it barehanded.

PV

varnish strippers
 

The Citristrip stuff is crap that doesn't do much. I'm glad I bought
the smallest container of it. I've had much better results with all
the ones that contain harsh chemicals. The only exception that have
found so far is Peel Away. It takes forever, but it does work and it
doesn't stink up the place.

If you are just looking to remove paint from wood, use a heat gun
instead. It works much better.

varnish strippers
 

Father Haskell spake thus:

David Nebenzahl wrote:

Father Haskell spake thus:

g wrote:

I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.

They're all toxic.

Not the citrus-derived ones.

Which gave me a splitting headache and made me feel
slightly drunk. Great at stripping lacquer from some old
Thomasville chairs I refinished, but far from benign.

Really? Not doubting you, just surprised: I've always found this stuff
quite pleasant to work with, and wasn't aware that it made any vapors at
all. The brand I use is Citristrip by Speciality Environmental
Technologies. Maybe other types aren't so good. Or maybe I'm just
insensitive to something that bothers you.


--
Just as McDonald's is where you go when you're hungry but don't really
care about the quality of your food, Wikipedia is where you go when
you're curious but don't really care about the quality of your knowledge.

- Matthew White's WikiWatch (http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/wikiwoo.htm)

varnish strippers
 

spake thus:

The Citristrip stuff is crap that doesn't do much. I'm glad I bought
the smallest container of it. I've had much better results with all
the ones that contain harsh chemicals.

It's true that the orange stuff takes longer than the harsh-chemical
stuff, but given enough time, it does work. That's one tradeoff I'm
quite willing to make.


--
Just as McDonald's is where you go when you're hungry but don't really
care about the quality of your food, Wikipedia is where you go when
you're curious but don't really care about the quality of your knowledge.

- Matthew White's WikiWatch (http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/wikiwoo.htm)

varnish strippers
 

PV spake thus:

"g" wrote in message
...

I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.

Check out these folks,

http://www.franmar.com/oscommerce/index.php?cPath=21

We use these products for screen printing and they are great, no fumes no
smell, use it barehanded.

Here's a better link (though longer):
http://www.franmar.com/oscommerce/pr...45b863af252bae

Soy, gel, huh? Never heard of it. I'll have to try it sometime. Is this
stuff available anywhere locally (local being S.F. Bay Area)?


--
Just as McDonald's is where you go when you're hungry but don't really
care about the quality of your food, Wikipedia is where you go when
you're curious but don't really care about the quality of your knowledge.

- Matthew White's WikiWatch (http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/wikiwoo.htm)

varnish strippers
 

g wrote:

I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.


thanks

Methylene chloride is best, but toxic. If you work in well-ventillated
garage and dispose of the waste properly, it is ideal. It would make
pretty quick work of a flat, thin finish. I use steel wool and mineral
spirits for clean-up and sanding is usually not needed. I use sandwich
bags for "gloves" to handle the stuff because it eats up rubber gloves
pretty quick. It stings rather badly on skin, but for some reason
doesn't leave any marks or irritation. It also may work best for wood
with intricate carving because you can work it in with an old toothbrush
or similar to get varnish out of fine spaces. Not what you asked for,
but only method I've used.

varnish strippers
 

On Wed, 06 Dec 2006 22:05:57 -0800, David Nebenzahl
wrote:

Father Haskell spake thus:

David Nebenzahl wrote:

Father Haskell spake thus:

g wrote:

I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.

They're all toxic.

Not the citrus-derived ones.

Which gave me a splitting headache and made me feel
slightly drunk. Great at stripping lacquer from some old
Thomasville chairs I refinished, but far from benign.

Really? Not doubting you, just surprised: I've always found this stuff
quite pleasant to work with, and wasn't aware that it made any vapors at
all. The brand I use is Citristrip by Speciality Environmental
Technologies. Maybe other types aren't so good. Or maybe I'm just
insensitive to something that bothers you.


If you can smell it, it's making vapors. It's quite possible
that what vapors it makes varies according to what you're stripping.
My theory is that anything that's capable of dissolving paint is
probably bad for you.

Citristrip, according to the MSDS I found at
http://www.floodaustralia.net/msds/MSDSCitristrip.pdf

is 69.9 % N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone 872-50-4
10.4 % D-Limonene 5989-27-5

And some thinkening agents.

It also says:
==================
Inhalation: May cause headache; irritation of the respiratory system
and mucous membranes, nausea, drowsiness, mental confusion, dizziness
and giddiness. Can cause pulmonary oedema, signs and symptoms can be
delayed several hours.

Skin: This product is a skin irritant. May cause irritation, redness,
inflammation, cracking, blisters, defatting, and severe burns. Vapours
may cause irritation.

Eye: This material is an eye irritant. May cause irritation, burns
(including severe burns and irreversible damage), conjunctivitis,
watering, stinging of eyes and lids, selling of eye, redness,
discomfort, and permanent scarring of the cornea. Vapours may cause
discomfort.

Swallowing: Harmful if swallowed. May cause nausea, vomiting,
abdominal pains, diarrhoea, irritation, damage or burns o mouth,
throat and stomach, severe pain, salivation, ulcerations of
membranes,, circulatory collapse and death.

Chronic Health Effects
May cause skin irritation, albuminuria and hematuria.
========================

Those last two are signs of kidney damage.

The primary chemical N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone
is listed at
http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-pr...ce_id=872-50-4

as a developmental toxicant (screws up fetuses)
a blood toxicant (poisons your blood)
a kidney toxicant (destroys your kidneys)
a neurotoxicant (messes up your brain)
and a reproductive toxicant (makes you sterile)

The stuff may well be safer, and probably *IS* less offensive
than other strippers, but that doesn't make it anything
close to safe.

varnish strippers
 

David Nebenzahl wrote:
Father Haskell spake thus:

David Nebenzahl wrote:

Father Haskell spake thus:

g wrote:

I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.

They're all toxic.

Not the citrus-derived ones.

Which gave me a splitting headache and made me feel
slightly drunk. Great at stripping lacquer from some old
Thomasville chairs I refinished, but far from benign.

Really? Not doubting you, just surprised: I've always found this stuff
quite pleasant to work with, and wasn't aware that it made any vapors at
all. The brand I use is Citristrip by Speciality Environmental
Technologies.

Citristrip.

Maybe other types aren't so good. Or maybe I'm just
insensitive to something that bothers you.

Probably, or I had a stronger exposure.

varnish strippers
 

Goedjn wrote:
On Wed, 06 Dec 2006 22:05:57 -0800, David Nebenzahl
wrote:

Father Haskell spake thus:

David Nebenzahl wrote:

Father Haskell spake thus:

g wrote:

I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.

They're all toxic.

Not the citrus-derived ones.

Which gave me a splitting headache and made me feel
slightly drunk. Great at stripping lacquer from some old
Thomasville chairs I refinished, but far from benign.

Really? Not doubting you, just surprised: I've always found this stuff
quite pleasant to work with, and wasn't aware that it made any vapors at
all. The brand I use is Citristrip by Speciality Environmental
Technologies. Maybe other types aren't so good. Or maybe I'm just
insensitive to something that bothers you.


If you can smell it, it's making vapors. It's quite possible
that what vapors it makes varies according to what you're stripping.
My theory is that anything that's capable of dissolving paint is
probably bad for you.

Citristrip, according to the MSDS I found at
http://www.floodaustralia.net/msds/MSDSCitristrip.pdf

is 69.9 % N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone 872-50-4
10.4 % D-Limonene 5989-27-5

And some thinkening agents.

It also says:
==================
Inhalation: May cause headache; irritation of the respiratory system
and mucous membranes, nausea, drowsiness, mental confusion, dizziness
and giddiness. Can cause pulmonary oedema, signs and symptoms can be
delayed several hours.

Skin: This product is a skin irritant. May cause irritation, redness,
inflammation, cracking, blisters, defatting, and severe burns. Vapours
may cause irritation.

Eye: This material is an eye irritant. May cause irritation, burns
(including severe burns and irreversible damage), conjunctivitis,
watering, stinging of eyes and lids, selling of eye, redness,
discomfort, and permanent scarring of the cornea. Vapours may cause
discomfort.

Swallowing: Harmful if swallowed. May cause nausea, vomiting,
abdominal pains, diarrhoea, irritation, damage or burns o mouth,
throat and stomach, severe pain, salivation, ulcerations of
membranes,, circulatory collapse and death.

Chronic Health Effects
May cause skin irritation, albuminuria and hematuria.
========================

Those last two are signs of kidney damage.

The primary chemical N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone
is listed at
http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-pr...ce_id=872-50-4

as a developmental toxicant (screws up fetuses)
a blood toxicant (poisons your blood)
a kidney toxicant (destroys your kidneys)
a neurotoxicant (messes up your brain)
and a reproductive toxicant (makes you sterile)

The stuff may well be safer, and probably *IS* less offensive
than other strippers, but that doesn't make it anything
close to safe.

Bob Flexner says none are safe.

Stay with Zip Strip or similar. Work outdoors to absolutely
minimize exposure. Don't stir the remover film with a
putty knife to "speed the process." That breaks the
paraffin skin, letting the methylene chloride portion
evaporate, exposing you, and slowing down the job.
These strippers are cheap, widely available, effective
on the widest range of finishes, and predictable. Less
effective consumer grade strippers (meaning all of the
others) are a huge waste of money when you buy bottle
after bottle because the last one did little or nothing.

varnish strippers
 

"g" wrote in message
...
I'm doing some intro woodworking projects and need a good chemical
stripper that easy to clean up, will not interfere with sanding, and low
toxity level.


thanks

There are several types of furniture strippers not counting the
specialized ones for paint.

I will assume that by "good" you mean one that works in a reasonable
amount of time and does a complete job. The only ones that are really
"good" are those that contain Methylene Chloride (MC). ATM strippers
(Acetone, Toluene, Methanol) can remove some furniture coatings like simple
lacquer and shellac but won't do much for varnish or polyurethane. As you
can imagine, ATM strippers are quite flammable. MC strippers are typically
not flammable. MC strippers work quite fast. You can usually see them
bubbling up the finish in about ten minutes. ATM strippers work more slowly
since they are trying to dissolve the finish. All other strippers work
slowly so probably don't fit your definition of good.

As for cleanup, it's all in how you do it. After you have given it the
once over with 4/0 steel wool or a ScotchBrite pad soaked in stripper and
then removed the excess with a plastic blade / scrapper, try wiping down
the piece with a clean rag to remove most of the stripper / finish. Then,
go over it with 1/1/2 (v/v/v) alcohol/acetone/toluene. This will remove any
remaining stripper, wax, and finish. The beauty of the mixture is that it
does not allow the finish to redeposit. The cleaning takes no more than
five minutes.

There are no strippers that interfere with sanding once they have been
thoroughly removed and the wash is allowed to evaporate.

As for low toxicity, the only stripper that is as close to nontoxic as
you can get is Safest Stripper by 3M. The active ingredients are dibasic
esters (DBEs). That stripper is extremely slow and is not particularly
thorough. Just work in a well ventilated environment and you will be fine.
The wax in all the paste strippers forms a coating over the stripper that
minimizes evaporation and therefore, fumes.

Good Luck.