refinishing frustrations

[Greg Newell]

Rob,
         Not to be obtuse but, how do you bleach the case?

Greg



At 01:02 PM 4/27/2005, you wrote:
>Hi Greg,
>
>I scrape carefully with even pressure only removing the finish and not
>digging into the wood at all.  If the stain is uneven (as is the case with a
>sun damaged piano in my shop now) I bleach the case.
>
>Rob
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Greg Newell" <gnewell@ameritech.net>
>To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 8:38 AM
>Subject: Re: refinishing frustrations
>
>
> > Rob,
> >          I'm worried about the same issue with scraping that I am with
> > sanding. How do you prevent going through in spots and what are you doing
> > to even out the color? Are you using the color exactly as it is under the
> > old finish or darker? This is exactly what I am struggling with. Seems the
> > old color underneath the clear coat is quite dark indeed. Almost black!
> >
> > best,
> > Greg
> >
> >
> >
> > At 06:08 AM 4/27/2005, you wrote:
> > >Hi Greg,
> > >
> > >Another option is to scrape as much old finish off as possible to avoid
> > >working with stripper, nasty stuff, and only bleach when there is color
> > >variation that needs to be evened out.
> > >
> > >Rob E.
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: <mailto:bases-loaded76@sbcglobal.net>Mark Potter
> > >To: <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org>Pianotech
> > >Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 5:47 AM
> > >Subject: Re: refinishing frustrations
> > >
> > >Hi Greg -
> > >
> > >When you say the wood seems to end up darker than you would like when you
> > >try to even out the color are you referring to evening out the color from
> > >one piece to the next (i.e. - making the legs the same color as the
> > >fallboard), or evening out some color 'blotchiness' you may encounter on
> > >an individual piece?  If you are referring to blotchiness, I would say
>you
> > >are inflicting this on yourself in the stripping process by being more
> > >aggressive in some areas than in others in either scrubbing or sanding.
> > >In my experience, if you just let the stripper remove the finish to the
> > >point where a putty knife will easily scrape it off, that avoids pitfall
>#
> > >1 - scrubbing real hard in stubborn places to remove finish still
> > >adhering. Then if you lightly scrub/rinse WITH THE SAME EVEN PRESSURE
> > >THRUOUT using either a water/alcohol, lacquer thinner, or TSP rinse (or
> > >combination of all 3)with #1 steel wool or maroon scotchbrite pad, you
> > >should have all pieces stripped clean, free of any blotchiness.  I am not
> > >a big fan of inflicting further aggression on the wood after achieving
> > >this state other than a light sanding with 150 - 220.  My personal
>opinion
> > >is that bleaching robs the wood - especially mahogany - of some depth
>that
> > >is not retrievable. Just my opinion, FWIW.  Nor have I found it necessary
> > >or desirable to go after the old filler with scrub brushes, but to each
> > >his own.
> > >
> > >As far as keeping the color as light as possible, I will generally pick
> > >the darkest piece of the lot, and only dye as necessary to get the rest
>of
> > >the pieces to that shade. I would consider this then to be the lightest
> > >this wood wants to be.  I prefer to take what the wood is giving me and
> > >work with it, rather than to impose a completely different color regimen
> > >that is much lighter in tone and requires bleaching to get there.  Seems
> > >to me this is like "askin' for a fight".... ;-)
> > >
> > >I will say that of the three common liquids I use for cleaning after
> > >stripping - alcohol, lacquer thinner, TSP - the TSP removes the most
> > >color.  FWIW.
> > >
> > >Mark Potter
> > >
> > >Greg Newell <gnewell@ameritech.net> wrote:
> > >list,
> > >I wonder if you all (as many opinions as I can get) would
> > >enlighten me on what you do in the stripping process. I'm specifically
> > >interested in everything that comes before repairs and coloring etc.
> > >Perhaps more to the point is whether or not you are seeking to make the
> > >wood as bare as possible i.e. devoid of any color, or are you simply
> > >removing topcoat, then repairing, even out color and re-topcoat? It seems
> > >that my attempts seem to bring the finished product darker than I would
> > >like by attempting to make everything the same color. I have only removed
> > >finish in the past but am contemplating bleaching. Is this necessary in
> > >order to get the lighter colors I'm after? Would you be kind enough to
> > >describe exactly the steps and materials and tools you use in the
>stripping
> > >process? Thanks in advance.
> > >
> > >Greg Newell
> > >Greg's ! piano Forté
> > >mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net
> > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> >
> > Greg Newell
> > Greg's piano Forté
> > mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>
>_______________________________________________
>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives

Greg Newell
Greg's piano Forté
mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net