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Cabinet Refinishing Ideas That Worked For Me...

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  • Cabinet Refinishing Ideas That Worked For Me...



    Hi everyone;</p>

    I've been asking for so much help in recent days, trying to get my old M-3 up and running again after 19 years in seclusion, that I wanted to try and give something back that might help someone.</p>

    I had to do a lot of refinishing work on my organ. It had been kept at the old farmhouse where I grew up, and the finish had taken lots of unintentional abuse, along with the usual nicks and scratches. I'd read a lot about "Howard's Restore-A-Finish" here on the forum, and I have to say that it did do a great job on the sides and front of the unit, where the damage was minimal. I put it on with either a towel (where the finish wasn't so bad), or with 0000 steel wool (where there were more scratches, etc.).</p>

    It was a really easy way to make the thing look considerable better, and worked like a dream on the more ornately carved legs of the thing (The legs on my M-3 have grooves that are routed into the length of them).</p>

    The top of the organ, and the top of the bench, however, were much worse. Lots of finish checking, lots of discoloration, from, quite possibly, a small animal urinating on it. Blech... I really had to re-do those parts, and found that "Formby's Furniture Refinisher" did a fantastic job. It takes a little more work than the "Restore-A-Finish," but if you have severe damage to the shellac/varnish, it makes a huge difference.</p>

    It dissolves the old topcoat, but leaves the stain intact, so what I was left with was some really beautiful wood when I was done. It didn't seem to do any damage at all to the parts that were veneered, and, as long as you maintain a "fresh batch" of the refinisher--don't let it get too gloppy, in other words--it really does a great job at dissolving the old varnish. When it's all-the-way-done, I'd like to put a few before and after pictures on here, if that's OK...</p>

    I re-did the bench top with this, along with the top of the organ, the music desk, and the two cheek blocks (the one with the perc. tabs, and the plain one). I couldn't be happier with the results. I just put a high gloss tung oil on the refinished parts; it's not as shiny and "clearcoated" looking as if I'd done new varnish or shellac, but it was a lot simpler, and it really highlights the wood nicely. Plus, I'd had enough of really stinky things, with all the other chemicals I'd been using on it...</p>

    I hope this helps someone out there; thanks to the great bunch of people on the forum. I'm glad I found this place! I usually check here before I check my personal e-mail during the course of the day... more interesting things to learn, here, after all.
    </p>

    Regis</p>

  • #2
    Re: Cabinet Refinishing Ideas That Worked For Me...



    Restore-a-finish is really only temporary. You'll find after a week or two the worn spots, scratches,and dents show themselves more obviously again.I suggest first a thorough cleaning with detergent and water. After that you need to rub down the cabinet in Brasso (get it at the hardware store). After it has dried, a white film will form. Rub it off with a towel, and you'll notice a considerable shine and more noticeable wood grain. After this, then you can apply the restore a finish. After this dries, rub vaseline/petroleum jellyinto the cabinet. Rub it until there is no visible jelly, just a satin shine. It should not feel too greasy. Finally I suggest adding orange or lemon oil. I believe the former is made by the same company as the restore-a-finish. </P>


    This is my tried and true method. I have philcos that have been gleaming fro weeks. </P>

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