I have a 51 year old seaform mahogany cedar chest which badly needs refinishing. The wood is scarred and it's just a mess. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to proceed or should I just throw in the towel and call a professional? Thanks for any help

Depends on your experience, condition of the actual finish on the piece and
your level of patience. If you are looking at a full strip and refinsh it
will requires some time, but results can be very rewarding. Many of the
folks that hang around here are predisposed to doing this kind of work
themselves. There are several good books on furniture refinishing and
restoration. Check the library or book stores.

IMHO if it comes down to a strip-job, forget about the "friendly" strippers
and go for a good, strong product. It will save you hours of work.
However, DO READ THE CONTAINER CAUTIONS AND FOLLOW THEM. Not only can these
products cause skin discomfort they can damage eyes and they are fumey.

RonB


"sandy" wrote in message
...

I have a 51 year old seaform mahogany cedar chest which badly needs
refinishing. The wood is scarred and it's just a mess. Does anyone
have any suggestions on how to proceed or should I just throw in the
towel and call a professional? Thanks for any help




--
sandy

cause skin discomfort they can damage eyes and they are fumey.


Skin discomfort is a very gentle and polite way of saying" Damn that
smarts. Honey?? Call an ambulance."

Beyond the good advice given visit www.refinishwizard.com and look
around. Consider specific questions there also.

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 20:43:13 +0100, sandy
wrote:


I have a 51 year old seaform mahogany cedar chest which badly needs
refinishing. The wood is scarred and it's just a mess. Does anyone
have any suggestions on how to proceed or should I just throw in the
towel and call a professional? Thanks for any help

sandy wrote:

I have a 51 year old seaform mahogany cedar chest which badly needs
refinishing. The wood is scarred and it's just a mess. Does anyone
have any suggestions on how to proceed or should I just throw in the
towel and call a professional? Thanks for any help

I've been doing this myself; the project's progress is readable at
http://www.briansiano.com.

My recommendations:

1. Experiment with 3M's Safest Stripper first; then Peel Away 6; and if
they both fail, use methylene chloride and severe safety techniques.

2. Avoid Citrusrtip.

3. Tools: Brass bristle brushes, steel wool, dental picks, various
sandpaper grades.