I turned a vase out of ash wood and sprayed it with black lacquer. Then I wiped on liming wax to fill the open grain and wiped the wax off which left a white scum over the black lacquer. What can I use to get rid of the white scum without damaging the lacquer?
Didn't quite work out the way you wanted, eh?
Ideally, you'd want to use the solvent used in the specific liming wax product you used to remove it. Most likely you can just use denatured alcohol or mineral spirits (paint thinner) to dissolve the wax. You'll have to use a rag soaked in it and do some rubbing. These solvents shouldn't do too much damage to the black lacquer either.
Of course, you can also just use lacquer thinner too. It should dissolve the wax fairly well and will clear it out of the pores of the black lacquer because you'll be taking a little of that black lacquer off too. That shouldn't be a problem even if you take quite a bit of it off either. Just spray a bit more of the black lacquer after you have the liming wax off of it. The lacquer thinner is sure not to leave any residue that's incompatible with it either.
Maybe just use the wax solvent or alcohol or mineral spirits, etc. to get the bulk of it off and then finish it up with a little lacquer thinner. Reapply the black lacquer if needed.
- Andrew
Wax should respond best to paint thinner, which, as noted, is not a solvent for lacquer. I'd have a soak at it with a solvent-saturated rag, followed by wipe and a bit of (tooth) brushing to kick the residual out of the pores.
Might take a couple of tries, but should do. If not, little bit of that dark wax might dilute the effect.
Alcohol would be a poor choice for wax.
I've used the same technique to fill the pores of heavy grained wood, like oak, with a contrasting color, though it works best if you do it before applying a finish.
If the liming wax base is shellac, then alcohol is the perfect choice. Alcohol is often the solvent used with shellacs. That's why I suggested it.
- Andrew
Oh my God... don't get steel wool anywhere near a turning lathe! I tried it once and almost lost my hand. Luckily my lathe is rather crappy and the belt started slipping or I might really have.
My experience with Waxes is, you need to use different wax when the wood is dark or you've stained it dark. I.E. light wax for light wood, dark wax for dark wood. Sounds like you used light wax on dark wood... I've had a similar problem when waxing walnut (my favorite wood.)
...and stay on your side of the toolrest! A.
Fortiter,
A little common sense goes a long way, when dealing with power tools. IOW, never wrap, bind or fasten anything to your hand that will be touching the work. If you follow the simple guideline of only hanging on to rags, paper, steel wool or whatever else, you'll not have nearly the trouble with your hand being pulled into the work, and will simply have the item pulled out of your hand, if it catches or sticks to the work.
-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <
September 11, 2001 - Never Forget
It wasn't attached to my hand, it got caught on the piece somehow... in the grain or something... then it ripped out of my hand. When it came back around it landed on top of my hand an tangled in my fingers... then I tried to yank my hand back as the lather tried to pull it in. The I heard the belt slipping as I hit the power with my left hand. Maybe it was a fluke but it was the first (and last) time I ever attempted steel wool. Scotch pads work just as well and I don't see any way they're gonna get caught.
Hmmm,...I've had it catch in the work too, so I know what you mean. I still use it, but not that often.
................................^^^^^ See, there's your problem...never use whale parts (or parasitic worms, for that matter!) on your woodturnings...
; )
-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <
September 11, 2001 - Never Forget
What else am I going to do with this thing? He won't fit back up the stairwell, he's stuck in my shop!
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