stripping varnish

tom

Well-Known Member
Evening all ,I have got myself a little project and want to know the best stuff to strip varnish of a stock ? so i can oil the stock .
Thanks in advance .
 
On a boat I used nitromors varnish stripper to great success without staining. I have also used sugarsoap for stripping varnished pine acca church pews to leave a fresh finish. The risk would be less than nitromors but a heck of a lot of elbowgrease. Check your yellow pages. You may have a commercial stripper (Wood, keep your minds above the waist) in your area. Usually they have kinder chemicals not available for DIY and usually not that expensive.
Jim
 
I used the spray on Nitromors thinking it'd be easy work but it wasn't. Some thinner areas just peeled away from the wood, but some parts were so thick that they just softened and had to be removed with a plastic scraper. I used a full can on my stock and a lot still had to be scraped and scoured off with fine wire wool. It was well worth the hard work though. I think mines had about 6 coats of Tru Oil and now it looks nowhere near as cheap..even though it was really ;)
 
Better with the tin of ordinarry if you still get it Good coat then wrap it in cloth and leave to do its work. Clean away with water and I would still recomment sugar soap for a final cleaning. Be careful because it is costic.
Jim
 
I use the brush on Nitromors. There are now two sorts - yellow and green - I've used both but still prefer the green. The secret is to stipple it in rather than brush it on and to keep reloading the brush.

I then take it off with wire wool and a rinse with water. Then just hold the stock in front of a gas fire. But not too close otherwise you'll raise the grain and then have to mess about with wire wool and elbow grease.
 
I have used celulose paint thinners no caustic as paint stripper but if the varnish is not to heavy it will shift it then sand off, however my old man uses the nitromorse that has to be wiped off with white spirits.
Really personal choice and how hard it is to shift.
 
thanks guys ,i think i will use nitro as i have used it in the past for doors etc ,i will take some before and after photos if any body is intrested ,thanks again
 
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