Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/making lacquer shine

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Expert: - 1/20/2012


Question
Hi Greg,
I want to reinvigorate a dining table, Common contemporary piece.
Can I use Danish oil or rub on poly?
I don't have a spray booth

Answer
Hi Lorne, neither of those would be a good idea over lacquer.Only lacquer should be applied over lacquer...If the lacquer is  intact, but just dull and/or oxidized, it can be polished with a rubbing compound like 3M's Perfect it.Rubbing out a table top by hand takes some skill and a lot of elbow grease, however. If it needs more than that, wet sanding and recoating is really the only way to revive it properly, and if it's really in bad shape, it has to be stripped and a new finish applied. Dining tables are among the most challenging finishing projects because they are such a large reflecting area, and ANY imperfection shows up, especially a polished lacquer finish. Not a job for the DIY'er. A Pro restorer would likely do the polishing for you for a nominal fee, or at the very least properly evaluate the finishes condition and suggest a course of action.I'm sure that's not the answer you want to hear, but feel free to post back- regards- Greg

http://www.amazon.com/3M-39002/dp/B0002NUNB6/ref=pd_sim_auto_3

Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks

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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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