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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/restoring a pine table top

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Expert: - 7/3/2010


Question
Hello:  We have a pine trestle table, about 40 years old...so not really an antique but made in the style of the old ones.  It has only been treated with an oil provided by the manufacturer, applied once a year, or really, much less often if you want the truth. After a few years of storage, it has some marks on it....from masking tape, it appears. How can I convince my Brother-in-law not to sand it and finish it with a coat of varathane?  Wouldn't the original oil product be better? He's very determined, so I'm counting on expert advice to sway him, something I could never do :-)  Thank you very much for your time.

Answer
Hi Jean,Masking tape residue can be removed with either alcohol or maybe "Goof off", and if the finish is an oil finish, it shouldn't be affected by the process if you apply it on a rag and buff it off that way. You could also just apply the oil finish with a white ScotchBrite pad, and it would most likely dissolve the residue during the application. It would be a mistake to refinish it with Varathane, in my opinion, and it would look different as well.Please feel free to post back if need be, 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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