Shellac..refinish disaster.help


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Old 03-28-01, 11:58 AM
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I recently inherited a "lawyer's bookcase" that was my father's. The bottom piece had major damage to the finish, probably due to repeated mopping. The bookcase is early 1900's (glass front covers) and is oak. I used Formbys furniture restorer on the bottom (dumb move) and the color of the bottom piece turned a light blond oak color. The finish of the rest of the piece is a red'ish color, I though it was a stain. The bookcases were made by Clements, Williams & Co in Milwaukee, WI. I believe the finish is shellac. Did the old shellac's have color in them? And if so where do I find what I need to fix this problem? I am heartbroken about the damage, and other parts of the bookcase are also well worn and need touch up also. I have done a lot of refinishing of old furniture and never thought this could happen. I would also be glad to share my experience with others especially with restoring painted woodwork in old homes to their orginal condition.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
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Old 03-28-01, 03:42 PM
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bpkdawn:

In spite of what some ofmy correspondents may think, I really wasn't actively working on furniture in the early 1900's - BUT, I do remember the 50's (1950's that is) and amber shellac was quite popular for giving the orange/red color to knotty pine cabinets and paneling so popular at the time.

Amber shellac (ask for it by name) is still available today, and is most likely what you're looking for to restore both the finish and color to your piece.

Be advised that shellac has a definite shelf life. Each can, whatever the manufacturer, is dated when canned - don't buy it if it's more than 3 months old no matter what the clerk tells you. Old shellac will NOT dry - and you wind up with a gummy mess that has to be stripped.

If you prefer to mix your own, the sites listed below offer shellac flakes, ranging from clear through amber.

http://www.liberon.com
http://www.constantines.com
http://www.vandykes.com

 
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Old 04-02-01, 12:45 PM
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George, I'm still trying to get the hang of this site, and with my server (and lack of internet skills) run into lots of trouble. Thank you so much for your reply albeit a bit late for the thanks.It's taken me months to find a site I've been happy with and THIS ONE IS GREAT. I'll try one of your suggestions to find the that type of shellac. None to be found where I live which is par for the course, for most everything but tourists!
On another note, my brother who has another bookcase maintains that it's a painted type finish called "Tiger Oak" ever hear of that?
 
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Old 04-02-01, 02:38 PM
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bpkdawn:

Painted finishes were not uncommon in the late 1800's and early 1900's, but were usually limited to decorative inserts - made to look like inlay, but actually paint.

"Tiger" Oak is not a type of finish, but rather a result of standard oak being cut quartersawn. It's regular oak (usually white oak) that has been run through the mill in a 'non-standard' way to give the grain its distinctive appearance. It's rare these days because the cutting process used wastes a great deal more of the raw log than standard methods.

The finish can be (and has been - I've done it) duplicated by painting, but I doubt that this is the case in what you have. A simple test: run the tips of your fingers across the grain. If you can feel the irregularities and indentations, you're looking at wood - not paint.
 
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Old 04-05-01, 11:11 AM
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Wink George..Wealth of info.

How interesting about the cutting process to produce "Tiger" oak. I had been wondering why the grain was so pronounced in the bookcase, now I know! I'm more inclined to think that the bookcase is red or black oak due to the dark color of the piece I stripped, it's very different than the woodwork in our family home which was white oak..and I refinished all of it..20 windows plus baseboard, 60 years worth of paint and varnish. Yuck. By the way, dentist tools are excellent for cracks and crevices, especially with oak which is hard to scratch.
Thanks for your help and knowledge George.
On another tangent..my present home is now sporting all cedar woodwork on windows and baseboards, it's great in the south, doesn't warp, termites & bugs hate it and is cheap as pine here. Also hope it's more resistant to the likes of "Georges" which destroyed pine via warping from salt water.
 
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Old 04-05-01, 02:31 PM
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Another handy "tool" I keep several of in a coffee cup in my shop - dowel rod. I take 5/16" dowel rod and cut it into 6" lengths - run both ends through a pencil sharpener - instant picks that won't harm wood.
 
 

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