refinishing frustrations--P.S.

[Greg Newell]

Gordon,
         Thanks for the tips! I have sanded to even color and it is as you 
predicted. It is certainly uglier and will have to be made dark again to 
hide the unevenness. My biggest question is whether you bleach and stain 
every re-finish job or just those pianos that you want to lighten? I 
thought I would want to leave this piano the same color it came to me and 
therefor I wouldn't have to remove as much in the way of stain or old dye. 
Is this a wrong approach? Should each and every job be as devoid of color 
as possible before proceeding?

Greg Newell


At 10:41 PM 4/26/2005, you wrote:
>The only sanding you want to do is very light
>sanding---with 220 paper- to remove grain-raising
>caused by the bleach ( water-based ) solution, prior
>to staining.  And after sealer coats to level a bit &
>take off "hairs". Then between coats with 320-400 grit
>W$D if leveling is necessary. Level drips with a
>scraper, or razor blade ) if possible.
>      DON'T CUT YOURSELF!!!!!
>      G
>
>--- gordon stelter <lclgcnp@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Do absolutely NOTHING until you have a good
> > carbon-filter mask, gloves and goggles on hand!
> > Strip. I use chemicals and a brass brush ( fine,
> > soft,
> > as is found in groceries for pot-scrubbing---not the
> > harder, denser type as usually sold for stripping! )
> >
> >      Do everything with the grain direction, of
> > course.
> >      This gets the filler and stain out of the pores
> > as much as possible. Old filler witn stripping
> > chemicals in it can cause finishing problems, later.
> > Wipe with rags in alcohol or lacquer thinner. Finish
> > with paper towels in same. If you don't have a
> > stripping table ( a very good idea ) do it over big
> > pieces of cardboard from the furniture store, such
> > as
> > couches are shipped in. Do youir stripping in thje
> > shade, but leave the cardboard in the sun to dry,
> > evaporating out the toxic solvents before you
> > discard
> > ( or re-use ) them.  NEVER try to sand trhe woodto
> > an
> > even color! You will only make it uglier, and thin
> > the
> > veneer. DO bleach with chlorine bleach to remove
> > aniline strain, oxalic acid for ring marks, hydrogen
> > peroxide to lighten the wood itself.
> >     Stain. Seal. Fill. Seal. Build topcoats. That's
> > my
> > way. I've only used lacquer in the past, but am
> > interested in waterbased. Hmmmmmm. Think I'll check
> > the "Pianolac" website now.
> >      Thump.
> >
> > Go buy Biob Flexners' books on finishing and read.
> >
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Greg Newell
Greg's piano Forté
mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net