Forwarded Message:

The following was in response to a message posted in rec.antiques
about refinishing hoosier cabinets.    In addition to the drum
table example I mention below, I've had the same problem with
an old player piano painted white, and dealt with the problem
the same way, with equally good results.

Terry Smythe

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

• From: smythe            To: DIANN@ALLDIGITAL.COM      Orig: MBNET
 Subj: Re: Great Hoosier Find? I Area: 3-rec.antiques Date: 10/21/95
 ====================================================================
•To: diann@alldigital.com

Diann@alldigital.com stated:

D >Both were oak under all of the glop, so the paint didn't¶
D >sink too deeply into the wood. With a pine cabinet, it is¶
D >likely that you'll have "paint in the grain" and¶
D >need to strip it down as far as possible, sand lightly and¶
D >then repaint.

I too had a similar situation, not with a hoosier, but with
a mahogany drum table, with a shattered pedestal, abandoned
on the street for weekly garbage pickup.   It had been painted
with a sickly pink barn paint, or whatever.   It was a mess.

After stripping with a powerful paint & varnish remover, I
was still left with "paint in the grain".   I then tried
something different, a fresh sloppy coat of paint remover
instantly followed by equally sloppy methyl hydrate (alcohol).
the combination seems to provoke a chemical reaction that
literally boils most of the remaining paint and varnish out
of the grain.   But even after this treatment, there was
still speckles of paint visible in the grain.

Then I had a brain wave which in this unique set of circumstances
worked out just fine.   I stopped trying to remove the last few
speckles of paint, but instead sloshed all over the surface a
local cheap pigment style stain, reasonably close in tone and
colour, wiping vigorously against the grain, using ever more paper
towels until no more pigment stain came off.

Surprise!   Surpise!    All the little speckles of remaining
paint had mysteriously vanished!   In fact, they were still there,
but had been tinted by the pigment stain.   I was left with basically
clean wood, ready for final finishing in a natural wood finish.
The finished result is gorgeous, and not a hint of those speckles of
paint anywhere!

Something to consider........

Regards

•Terry Smythe            *Sounds of Yesteryear*
55 Rowand Avenue         Restoration and enjoyment of vintage
Winnipeg, MB  R3J 2N6    automatic musical instruments
(204) 832-3982           email:  smythe@mbnet.mb.ca