[tbone]

That method works well and I’ve used it for 3 years. Not good on polyurethane though.

One thing I was taught besides no open flames or sparks is to keep a bucket with water handy. Then throw your solvent contaminated rags in it. This will immediately stop them from being flammable. I do it all the time.

[Phlogiston]

Just a side note - It appears the Lowes, possibly others, is going to stop carrying the most effective brands of strippers - soon. Probably a good idea, for them.

[Ron Ramirez]

They haven't been banned - yet - but Lowe's is voluntarily stopping the sale of strippers which contain methylene chloride (in other words, paint strippers that actually work). Home Depot and Sherwin-Williams are also phasing these products out.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/major-retai...-chloride/

Deaths are occuring because dummies are using these products indoors. Idiots! Products such as this should always be used outdoors, where one has plenty of fresh air.

I would say more, but it would be political, so I won't

[Arran]

You could also kill yourself using acetone, lacquer thinner, or MEKP, to strip cabinets, not only because of the fumes, but with the right air/solvent mixture you can blow yourself to the moon, or burn your house down. Almost everything can be a hazard if you are careless, or foolish. At least methylene chloride stripper doesn't burn, which is interesting since it has acetone in it I think.
 As for taking products off the market I had a devil of a time finding products containing phosphoric acid for a few years, which makes a great rust inhibitor, CLR used to contain it, another similar product called Removall is no longer on the market (shame about that it's better then navel jelly). I never did find out the reason, whether it was a half baked environmental thing because the name is similar to phosphates which they banned from soap, or because they thought it was similar to phosphorus used in incendiary devices as well as some matches, I don't know. In any event I found a cheap source of it in a cleaning product called "Safe Acid Cleaner", so I have been using that on bare steel and iron to prevent rust.
Regards
Arran

[Greggshere]

I used the lacquer thinner/acetone mixture and it worked like a charm on my 40-158. I still have to do a little bit of repair up where it is damage at the upper front curved area, but then I'm ready to start the refinish and have some Mohawk dark walnut toner and clear lacquer ready to order, do I need the sanding sealer too? What are the actual steps I need to refinish this? Mask off what I don't want toner on, spray the toner to the darkness I want, unmask then 0000 steel wool the toner, then use sanding sealer, then the clear coat? This is my first cabinet refinish so I don't quite know what I am doing.

               

[Phlogiston]

I never sand "toner" since it is soft and can scratch or become uneven THOUGH I will sand lacquer with dye added since the former is not true of it. (spray can toner is soft).

Yes get sanding sealer. It will be the first thing that you spray on - then sand, prior to toner.

Depending on how you intend to fill the grain, the first step MIGHT be filling with a product like Por-O-Pac. If you use a product like Chrystal-Lac, it goes on top of the sealer.


!!!!!! I can't emphasize enough - GO light on the toner, you can add more later !!!!!

[Greggshere]

Thank you Phlogiston, I needed that type of response. I'm going to get some dark walnut grain filler for the areas I'm going dark on. I plan to keep the sides lighter and part of the outer lower front columns. I'm not sure what kind of wood the sides and front columns are, any idea? I would like to get the proper color of grain filler for those also.

[Phlogiston]

If you have to guess - darker is better for grain filler (within reason).

The sides may be a "white wood" that often does not need much filler.

[Arran]

Quote Phlogston: "If you have to guess - darker is better for grain filler (within reason).

The sides may be a "white wood" that often does not need much filler. "

 In my limited experience the white wood, which is likely a closed grain wood like poplar, maple, or beech, likely will not need any filler, if you can get it to accept any. One thing that it may accept is wood dye to darken it, then you won't need to shade it as much. However given the veneer damage across the grain in that cabinet I would seriously consider finding another without it rather then refinishing it since you don't have much experience with veneer repair. I have walked away from buying radios because of issues like that, the last was arguably worth repairing as it was a 12 tube Westinghouse from 1933.
Regards
Arran

[Greggshere]

Thanks guys, Arran since I am mainly do this for myself and experience and can live with however it turns out I still will finish this particular piece. Who knows maybe some day I'll be better and can redo it again and do it better at that time. Until then I'm going to do the best I can and live with it, no matter how good or bad it turns out. So the sanding sealer goes on before the wood grain filler, correct? So lightly sand the unit with say 400 paper, spray the sanding sealer, apply the grain filler, lightly sand using 0000 steel wool, spray the toner, then spray the clear. Does that sound correct basically?

[Phlogiston]

What grain filler are you goin to use? IMPORTANT

Sand bare wood with 220

Wet sand with 400, 600, 1000 depending on which layer you are sanding. There is a real difference between good and cheap sand paper.

[Greggshere]

I was going to place an order with Mohawk and get everything there.

[Radioroslyn]

I bought some 600G 3M wet/dry paper from epay and think I got a fair deal or it. Most retailers are getting abt $1 a sheet (8 1/2x11"). I paid abt 50c per sheet. When looking at the listing be sure to check the size of the sheet (some sell half sheets 8 1/2x 5 1/2) and quantity. It's a little bit of a numbers game. Ended up w/ 50 sheets for $25 free shipping.
Have been using these guys for the Mohawk supplies: https://www.westlunddistributing.com/tou...ducts.html Online catalog is a pita to try to find anything so I get the Mohawk product #s form another site. I think the pricing is pretty good @ $5.88 per can. Would recommend getting abt 1/2 dozen different products to get started. Those being:
Sanding Sealer M 102-0423
Gloss M 102-0420
No Blush M 103-0475
Med Wlnt M 100-0207
Drk Wlnt M 100-0351
Ex Drk Wlnt M 100-0209
Grain fllr M 608-4226
The sanding sealer and gloss I tend to go thru pretty quick maybe 4 of ea. No Blush will last forever (1), when you need it it's a miracle worker! And two cans each of the walnut toners. The jury seems to be out on the grain filler some like other brands so there maybe better one out there. I mostly got it here for convince.


Good Luck

[Phlogiston]

No, I meant what type of filler, not what brand.

Some are clay, some are a clear paste  - -

[Ron Ramirez]

I think the pricing is pretty good @ $5.88 per can.

$5.88 per can is a great price, beats anything I had found online.

No Blush will last forever

...unles it stops spraying like my old can of No Blush Plus did...