On Mon, 17 Jan 2000 11:04:33 EST "Asbel Jonathan Corrales" <ajthepianoman@hotmail.com> writes: > I have a spinet that I needs to be cleaned and buffed or revarnished. > Any > suggestions? > > Thanks. A.J. Hi A.J. - I'm afraid that without looking at it I can only throw out a few ideas for you to ponder. There are many ways to clean finishes; different conditions call for different approaches, and different people prefer different methods. With THAT out of the way..... First I would clean all the surfaces in question with naptha (or mineral spirits, if you prefer). You will want plenty of ventilation, and use plenty of clean rags/paper towels to wipe clean and dry. If there seems to be plenty of finish everywhere, just uneven in sheen, or with slight blemishes, you can try gently rubbing it out. You can either try some rubbing compounds from an automotive store on a damp cloth or use 4/0 steel wool with wool lube or other lubricant (mineral oil, parafin oil). Always go with the grain whenever possible, and use even pressure with long, straight strokes. Wipe dry with rags or paper towels. If you are lucky, you are done. If not, touch-up and spot finishing, or total refinishing will be necessary. Touch-up and spot finishing is an art, and requires much practice and training to become expert at it. There ARE quite a few products out there proclaiming to be finish restorers or blemish removers or antique improvers, etc.... Elixirs can be concocted that will be more agressive than plain naptha or mineral spirits by adding denatured alcohol. I know a conservator that uses a 50/50 mix of mineral spirits and denatured alcohol. Careful though, testing in an inconspicuous area first is advised! If after rubbing it out thoroughly the finish still looks bad or damaged, in all likelihood a total refinish job is in order. Putting new varnish over an old finish with lots of visible blemishes will look like someone put a new varnish over an old finish that had lots of blemishes when you're done, if you know what I mean.... A web site that I am aware of that carries "finish restorer" type products is: http://www.kramerize.com It's certainly worth a shot... Good luck! Mark Potter bases-loaded@juno.com > ______________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com >
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