We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week
to "celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was
shocked to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!!
(probably one of the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?

If I remember correctly, I think there is an easy fix for this. I'll
look at some of my books to see what to do. What kind of finish was it?

Thanks, it was shallac. But my real point is, what would be a socially
acceptable way to prevent people from being careless on your "proud
pieice of art"?

(Sorry if this is not directly related to the WW topic. But I guess
it's a problem that many of WWreckers might be facing.)

In article .com,
CrackedHands wrote:
We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week
to "celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was
shocked to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!!
(probably one of the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?


Glass top. or 'table pad'. Prevents recurrances.

On Fri, 27 May 2005 11:44:38 -0700, CrackedHands wrote:

We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week to
"celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was shocked
to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!! (probably one of
the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short of
canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around and
put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink (kinda
impolite)?

Put 7' legs on it.

Education might be in order but, kids and fine furniture are never a
great mix.

I'll bet you never thought you'd be one of those uptight people running
around putting coasters under everyones drink.

FYI on fixes

http://www.assoc-restorers.com/r-art.../watermrk.html

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00084.asp

Poly goes over shellac if it's dewaxed. It's impossible to keep people
at a party from placing drinks on a table, at some point.

Try removing the ring with a tiny bit of alcohol on a rag wiped around
and around the ring. Don't saturate the cloth and don't let the cloth
sit in one spot. The idea is to create a fast dissipating "vapor trail"
of alcohol, barely more than fumes.

Dave

SonomaProducts.com wrote:

Education might be in order but, kids and fine furniture are never a
great mix.

I'll bet you never thought you'd be one of those uptight people running
around putting coasters under everyones drink.

Several years ago, I had just finished a coffee table for the living room -
butternut oval with two leaves and a shellac finish. About two weeks later,
we had people in after a charity auction to add up the proceeds. One of
them, a gentleman who certainly knew better, put a clunky old adding machine
on the table. I swept in and placed a towel under the machine but the
damage had already been done by a foot that had lost its pad. He instantly
appologized profusely. I am not sure I did the right thing but I just
could not bear to see the table ruined. Of course by now it has scratches
from the cat, mother in law's ankle cast and who knows what else. Maybe the
lesson is that furnature is to be used, even if we try for the perfect
finish.....
Dave

On 27 May 2005 11:54:51 -0700, "CrackedHands"
wrote:

Thanks, it was shallac. But my real point is, what would be a socially
acceptable way to prevent people from being careless on your "proud
pieice of art"?

(Sorry if this is not directly related to the WW topic. But I guess
it's a problem that many of WWreckers might be facing.)


100 years ago shellac was the predominant furniture finish. everyone
knew how to treat it, even people who couldn't afford any. today
laquer and poly have largely squeezed shellac out. if you want your
shellac surfaces to be treated properly you'll have to educate your
guests.

for those of us that try to be considerate the inconsiderate are just
maddening.

I think the best thing to do is just sigh and be glad that you are not the
type of person that would put an unprotected drink on someone's new piece of
painstakingly handcrafted furniture and call it good. Then again perhaps a
tablecloth or something to protect your better pieces when kids are visiting
isn't such a bad idea.

A tablecloth will not protect the shellac from a sweating glass.

Dave

wrote:

Then again perhaps a
tablecloth or something to protect your better pieces when kids are visiting
isn't such a bad idea.

"CrackedHands" wrote in message
oups.com...
We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week
to "celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was
shocked to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!!
(probably one of the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?

Put the table behind a velvet rope like they have in museums. If you have no
velvet ropes consider not serving drinks.

-j

"CrackedHands" wrote in message
oups.com...

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of cancelling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?

Depends on what they're drinking. If it's beer, then you can serve them in
those foam cooler wraps. I think there might be some higher end plastic
glasses around that don't sweat the way ordinary glass does, but I don't
remember where I've seen them. Only other solution is to place a waterproof
cover on the table. There's some really good looking ones available if you
go that route, but then it won't be as easy to show off your new project.

On Fri, 27 May 2005 13:47:19 -0700, the inscrutable s
spake:

On 27 May 2005 11:54:51 -0700, "CrackedHands"
wrote:

Thanks, it was shallac. But my real point is, what would be a socially
acceptable way to prevent people from being careless on your "proud
pieice of art"?

(Sorry if this is not directly related to the WW topic. But I guess
it's a problem that many of WWreckers might be facing.)


100 years ago shellac was the predominant furniture finish. everyone
knew how to treat it, even people who couldn't afford any. today
laquer and poly have largely squeezed shellac out. if you want your
shellac surfaces to be treated properly you'll have to educate your
guests.

Right. Print out copies of the rules & gather everyone around. Now
hand 'em to everyone, making sure they read 'em BEFORE they get their
drinks. Keep a wooden yardstick handy for those who choose to forget.
"KAWHAP!" is a sound (and feel) the guests won't soon forget.


--
REMEMBER: First you pillage, then you burn.
---
http://diversify.com Full Service Website Development

I would use varnish. Seems simple enough; or is this a trick question?

Several years ago, I had just finished a coffee table for the living
room -
butternut oval with two leaves and a shellac finish.

I love butternut, but it is largely ornamental; you can't actually put
anything on it!
In fact, I just made someone a butternut buffet; and warned her I wasn't
responsible if she put anything heavier than a picture frame on it.
Has anyone tried putting epoxy wood hardener on butternut?

fine. i imagine that there is some piece of technology available that will
protect this gentleman's table's shellac finish from sweating glasses.
Perhaphs he could avail himself of that.

On 27 May 2005 11:44:38 -0700, "CrackedHands"
wrote:

We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week
to "celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was
shocked to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!!
(probably one of the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?

I saw some "table runners" at the store yesterday that had some sort
of plastic-type coating on the underside. The visible side was nicely
woven, and came in several colors/prints. They didn't cover the whole
table, just a good portion of the center- but they looked nice, and
something like that would reduce the chances of the finish getting
damaged while still allowing people to see at least some of the
project. You can't protect it from everything that way, but it skews
the odds in your favor a little.

You could also get a sheet of plate glass to lay over the top. Easy
to clean, and completely waterproof. Last one I saw was about $60,
but that'll vary depending on how thick the glass is, what the
dimentions of the top are, and whether or not the glass is beveled. I
believe standard practice when doing this is to place some small
spacers between the table and the glass (felt is what I've seen most
often, but suction cups get used a lot for this as well.)

wrote in message
news:RTLle.406$rp.110@fed1read02...
for those of us that try to be considerate the inconsiderate are just
maddening.

I think the best thing to do is just sigh and be glad that you are not the
type of person that would put an unprotected drink on someone's new piece
of
painstakingly handcrafted furniture and call it good. Then again perhaps
a
tablecloth or something to protect your better pieces when kids are
visiting
isn't such a bad idea.

Some may be inconsiderate, but I believe most just don't know any better. I
think the responsiblity lies with the host. Provide plenty of coasters,
placed where people are most likely to put their drinks. It's really a
stretch to consider someone inconsiderate for using an object such as a
table for exactly the purpose it was intended, and in fact in exactly the
way that most tables are used. The problem is with the finish selected and
its inablity to stand up to normal uses. Can't really fault the
unsuspecting guest for not being as well informed about these things as the
hobbiest woodworker.

--

-Mike-

wrote in message
news:UYVle.504$rp.332@fed1read02...
fine. i imagine that there is some piece of technology available that will
protect this gentleman's table's shellac finish from sweating glasses.
Perhaphs he could avail himself of that.

.... and you are replying to... exactly who?

--

-Mike-

On Fri, 27 May 2005 15:31:35 -0700, the inscrutable "J"
spake:

"CrackedHands" wrote in message
roups.com...
We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week
to "celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was
shocked to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!!
(probably one of the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?

Put the table behind a velvet rope like they have in museums. If you have no
velvet ropes consider not serving drinks.

Velvet ropes and no drinks? What kind of S&M joint IS this?


--
If you turn the United States on its side,
everything loose will fall to California.
--Frank Lloyd Wright

Easy fix.

Glue coasters to the bottom of ALL your glasses. Takes getting use to, but
it works.




"CrackedHands" wrote in message
oups.com...
We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week
to "celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was
shocked to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!!
(probably one of the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?

On 28-May-2005, "Mike Marlow" wrote:

It's really a
stretch to consider someone inconsiderate for using an object such as a
table for exactly the purpose it was intended, and in fact in exactly the
way that most tables are used.

this is a good point. I had envisioned for the original post that this
table was sort of set aside on display and that the guests were told "this
is my newest piece etc." If the table was simply incorporated into the
overall house furniture then true you can't really blame guests for putting
their drinks on it.

On 28-May-2005, "Mike Marlow" wrote:

fine. i imagine that there is some piece of technology available that
will
protect this gentleman's table's shellac finish from sweating glasses.
Perhaphs he could avail himself of that.

... and you are replying to... exactly who?


to the poster that remarked that a tablecloth wouldn't protect the shellac
finish.

Cover it with an olive drap tarp.

"CrackedHands" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks, it was shallac. But my real point is, what would be a socially
acceptable way to prevent people from being careless on your "proud
pieice of art"?

(Sorry if this is not directly related to the WW topic. But I guess
it's a problem that many of WWreckers might be facing.)

wrote:

fine. i imagine that there is some piece of technology available that will
protect this gentleman's table's shellac finish from sweating glasses.
Perhaphs he could avail himself of that.

There is--it's called a "coaster" and he's already ruled that out.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

CrackedHands wrote:

Thanks, it was shallac. But my real point is, what would be a socially
acceptable way to prevent people from being careless on your "proud
pieice of art"?

(Sorry if this is not directly related to the WW topic. But I guess
it's a problem that many of WWreckers might be facing.)

People who know you well you should be able to teach that the finish is
delicate and needs a certain amount of babying. Kids and relative
strangers may be a different story.

If this is something that is going to be used regularly instead of just
looked at you might want to consider redoing the top in polyurethane or
lacquer or varnish or something else that doesn't make white rings when it
gets wet. There are those who cringe at the thought of this, but to me
there are two kinds of furniture--museum pieces and pieces that are to be
used. And for those that are used (at least by us ordinary folk who don't
have dozens of spare rooms to fill with art) certain concessions of
artistic purity should be made in the interest of utility.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

You've got it. Polyurethane was invented for a reason.

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
If this is something that is going to be used regularly instead of just
looked at you might want to consider redoing the top in polyurethane or
lacquer or varnish or something else that doesn't make white rings when it
gets wet. There are those who cringe at the thought of this, but to me
there are two kinds of furniture--museum pieces and pieces that are to be
used. And for those that are used (at least by us ordinary folk who don't
have dozens of spare rooms to fill with art) certain concessions of
artistic purity should be made in the interest of utility.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Have read several reports of plastic reacting with topcoats. Believe
Jeff Jewitt calls it "plasticizing". Search
www.homesteadfinishing.com for that word or plastic.

On Sat, 28 May 2005 06:34:57 -0500, Prometheus
wrote:

I saw some "table runners" at the store yesterday that had some sort
of plastic-type coating on the underside.

You could try putting it behind a velvet rope so that it can be admired at a
safe distance.

SteveP.

"CrackedHands" wrote in message
oups.com...
We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week
to "celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was
shocked to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!!
(probably one of the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?

On Sat, 28 May 2005 12:13:05 -0700, nospambob
wrote:

Have read several reports of plastic reacting with topcoats. Believe
Jeff Jewitt calls it "plasticizing". Search
www.homesteadfinishing.com for that word or plastic.

Could've been vinyl, or even some kind of rayon. I imagine the OP
would have to check the materials for possible reactions based on what
the particular product in his area is made from.

I saw some "table runners" at the store yesterday that had some sort
of plastic-type coating on the underside.

"CrackedHands" wrote in message
oups.com...
We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week
to "celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was
shocked to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!!
(probably one of the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?

You can own your furniture, or it can own you.

Forget about trying to educate everyone. You might get through to some,
but you definitely won't get through to others. After you're dead you won't
get through to anyone. Your work of art will be forever vulnerable.

The first pepper mill I ever made took me forever. (Okay, two weeks.)
I did a pretty good job and put a nice finish on it. I have a wife and two
children, and fifteen years later I still can't get them to wash and dry
their hands before using it. I've scraped all sorts of dried food bits off
it over the years, but I'm not going to hide it away. I made it because I
wanted fresh ground pepper. I decided that if it gets too ruined that I
can't stand it any more, I'll make another one, and it'll be even better. I
thought about making one for each person, but I just know that won't work
out.

It's a shame there's a mark on your project so soon after you made it.
Entropy is unstoppable. The best you can hope to do is exert some
influence. I look at the underside of my crappy tables (where all the
scribbling is) and know that these things are going to happen no matter what
I do.

Sorry, I don't have any good advice for you. All I can do is
sympathize.

- Owen -

Owen Lawrence wrote:
Sorry, I don't have any good advice for you. All I can do is
sympathize.


As do I. This is why I love workjing with oak and finishing with polyurethane.
The yellowing doesn't matter and after a few coats of poly, the wet glasses
don't either. The furniture becomes bulletproof against drink rings. I never
sweat somebody putting a glass down; pardon the pun.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

Ah children, there's a reason they're so cute...........It helps with
their survival. :-)

The glasses that the poster was thinking of earlier in the thread may
be Tervis Tumblers. (based out of Flordia I think) Really nice heavy
duty plastic glasses that don't sweat and look good. (no I don't work
for them) They come in a bunch of sizes and styles and are garaunteed
for life. (they back up that too, I've returned a few that the seal
went out of)

I think you're best option is the glass top, it's not too expensive
considering the time you put into the piece and it's pretty much fool
proof.........Though the quickest way to make a fool think is make it
proof against their last attack. :-)

Good luck!!!

In article .com,
CrackedHands wrote:
We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week
to "celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was
shocked to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!!
(probably one of the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?


Use a table cloth?


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

On 27 May 2005 11:44:38 -0700, "CrackedHands" wrote:

We had a bunch of friends & families coming over for a party last week
to "celebrate" my latest ww project. When the party was over, I was
shocked to find a white ring from a drink someone left on it!!!
(probably one of the kids.) :{

What would you do to make sure this is not going to happen again, short
of canceling all future parties (impossible) or follow everyone around
and put the coaster on the table before he/she puts down the drink
(kinda impolite)?

razor wire and claymores???

Assuming that the un-named project wan't your bar or something, I don't see a
problem with roping it off and asking folks not to touch the "piece"..

IMHO, if they can't appreciate WHY you don't want it touched, they shouldn't be
invited to a party to celebrate it.. it's wasted on them..




mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Fri, 27 May 2005 16:52:11 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Fri, 27 May 2005 13:47:19 -0700, the inscrutable s
spake:

On 27 May 2005 11:54:51 -0700, "CrackedHands"
wrote:

Thanks, it was shallac. But my real point is, what would be a socially
acceptable way to prevent people from being careless on your "proud
pieice of art"?

(Sorry if this is not directly related to the WW topic. But I guess
it's a problem that many of WWreckers might be facing.)


100 years ago shellac was the predominant furniture finish. everyone
knew how to treat it, even people who couldn't afford any. today
laquer and poly have largely squeezed shellac out. if you want your
shellac surfaces to be treated properly you'll have to educate your
guests.

Right. Print out copies of the rules & gather everyone around. Now
hand 'em to everyone, making sure they read 'em BEFORE they get their
drinks. Keep a wooden yardstick handy for those who choose to forget.
"KAWHAP!" is a sound (and feel) the guests won't soon forget.

but they'll have nightmares of nuns in Catholic school.. lol



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

In article ,
mac davis wrote:
On Fri, 27 May 2005 16:52:11 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Fri, 27 May 2005 13:47:19 -0700, the inscrutable s
spake:

On 27 May 2005 11:54:51 -0700, "CrackedHands"
wrote:

Thanks, it was shallac. But my real point is, what would be a socially
acceptable way to prevent people from being careless on your "proud
pieice of art"?

(Sorry if this is not directly related to the WW topic. But I guess
it's a problem that many of WWreckers might be facing.)


100 years ago shellac was the predominant furniture finish. everyone
knew how to treat it, even people who couldn't afford any. today
laquer and poly have largely squeezed shellac out. if you want your
shellac surfaces to be treated properly you'll have to educate your
guests.

Right. Print out copies of the rules & gather everyone around. Now
hand 'em to everyone, making sure they read 'em BEFORE they get their
drinks. Keep a wooden yardstick handy for those who choose to forget.
"KAWHAP!" is a sound (and feel) the guests won't soon forget.

but they'll have nightmares of nuns in Catholic school.. lol

One very effective way to maintain discipline -- "force of _habit_"

On Tue, 31 May 2005 18:49:07 -0000, the inscrutable
(Robert Bonomi) spake:

In article ,
mac davis wrote:
On Fri, 27 May 2005 16:52:11 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

Right. Print out copies of the rules & gather everyone around. Now
hand 'em to everyone, making sure they read 'em BEFORE they get their
drinks. Keep a wooden yardstick handy for those who choose to forget.
"KAWHAP!" is a sound (and feel) the guests won't soon forget.

but they'll have nightmares of nuns in Catholic school.. lol

One very effective way to maintain discipline -- "force of _habit_"

And if that one fails, too, resort to the 100kv stun gun.
"Say, isn't that your glass?"
"Why, yes, it is. Sorry."
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZap! "Yieeeeeeeeeeee!" thud
"Yeah, I'll bet you are...when you wake up."

I'll give odds that's -the- last white ring on THAT guy's table.


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