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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/stripping a china cabinet

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Expert: - 11/29/2008


Question
Hi,I bought a small china cabinet with dark laquer finish and I want to strip it and put a lighter finish on it to match our dining room table.best There are somr really dark spots on this we think it is oak. Can this be done? What is the best stripper to use and if you can me some steps to do this I would appreciate it. Thanks Linda

Answer
Hi Linda, if it's Oak, it can be stripped and made pretty light, although some Oaks are pretty Brown. If this is an old or Antique piece, you're likely looking at varnish or shellac, which can be a sticky gooey mess to strip. Any good stripper will work, the best are the Methylene chloride ones, but they're also the most toxic. I like Citristrip...it takes a little longer to work but is safer and smells nice. The instructions are on the product, read and understand them thoroughly before using. The dark spots may come out, but they might need to be bleached out with something like an Oxalic acid solution. Only one way to really see how it will go, and that's to try it....post back if need be, I'll be here- regards- Greg

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Greg Scholl

Expertise

Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.

Experience

Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.

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