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My cousin swore by using a heat gun to strip old varnish. Big mistake.
He said it was faster than chemical stripper, just heat and scrape. Tried it on a 1920s oak dresser. Ended up scorching the wood in three spots, had to sand way too deep. The grain raised up like crazy too. Cost me an extra two days of work to fix it. Anyone got a better method for stubborn shellac?
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bailey.sam27d agoMost Upvoted
Heat guns are a real gamble on old wood. The scorching happens because shellac and old varnish can melt at different rates than the wood underneath. A method that often gets overlooked is using denatured alcohol and a very fine steel wool, like 0000 grade. You work it in small circles with the grain, and it dissolves the shellac without raising the grain. It takes some elbow grease, but it gives you a lot more control over the finish. Just keep the room well aired out.
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sagea8826d ago
Two days of extra work just to fix the scorch marks? That's brutal. I can't believe your cousin said it was a good idea, heat guns are way too aggressive for something that old. Bailey's got the right call with the alcohol and steel wool, it's slow but you won't ruin the piece. I'd be so mad if I had to sand that deep on original wood.
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grant.anthony27d ago
Look, sometimes you just need to get the job done fast. A heat gun is a powerful tool if you know how to use it. You have to keep it moving and not let it sit in one spot. That scorching happens from being careless, not from the tool itself. For a big piece like a dresser, chemicals are slow and messy. With practice, the heat method is way more efficient.
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