nccamper
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1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
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Post by nccamper on Jul 23, 2014 7:01:39 GMT -8
This is a carryover from another thread. I'm starting a new post because I strayed off topic into something new…and important to my project. Here is the background. I have a Shasta Compact with a yellowish/beige finish (photo 1) that has me stumped. Mobitec and others are running into the same issue. How to match the color. One person suggested Woodcraft Mixol tint for Shellac. (Great suggestion.) #6 looks promising according to Mobitec. FYI…Woodcraft tech said it may take "several" tubes to get a really noticeable tint. However, I believe my finish has a poly mixed in. I'm assuming that because neither denatured alcohol or lacquer thinner will remove it, or even dull it. Somebody suggested Howard's Resor-a-finish. (Anther great suggestion) I just got back from Home Depot where I learned that Howard's can't be used with Polyurethane finishes but can be used with Shellac. Bummer. Back to my camper: I sanded the finish on a panel I plan to remove to test options. This yellowish stuff takes aggressive sanding to remove completely. Too aggressive for 1/8 panels. On one section I removed most of the finish, on another I took off a reasonable amount without grinding through the veneer. Then I amber shellacked 2 coats with poor results on the lightly sanded section. (photo 2) Since there is no way the trim and overhead cabinet will survive grinding off the finish without being really frail in the end (it would be rough on the walls and ceiling as well) what are my options? Don't all say "paint" at once. My wife likes the painted look. I love the wood grain. Any thoughs?
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SusieQ
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Post by SusieQ on Jul 23, 2014 9:28:24 GMT -8
I think it may be too late for my suggestions but one would be to try clear shellac. It may be too late for this suggestion but you can remove most of the amber shellac by wiping it with alcohol.
And have you considered just using another color polyurethane? Minwax has some beautiful colors of stain with the polyurethane in them. Multiple coats might even things out. However, you are not supposed to use polyurethane over shellac.
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bmxovich
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Post by bmxovich on Jul 23, 2014 17:30:08 GMT -8
You'll need to apply a whitewash stain to the wood before finishing. Google it, look at the images, and you'll see what's possible. Not a straight whitewash, but it's a base I often use. Sometimes a blonde pigmented stain is a good starting point. I've made my own over the years with white oil base primer, adding tint colorant and pigmented stain as needed to obtain the right color. Or starting with a prepackaged stain and going from there. It's really the only way you can get a good match. Do small samples, lots of them. And always coat your stain sample with the clear finish your going to use, before you dive in. Really finish it as you would if it were the real panel. It's very rare that you'll buy anything straight off the shelf that will match. Don't be intimidated, mix oil based products with oil, water based with water based, alcohol with alcohol, etc, you get the idea.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jul 23, 2014 18:43:48 GMT -8
The rear panel was my test area because it has water damage and I want to replace it. In hindsight, I wish I had reserved some of it as test sections for whitewashing, colored polyurethane, etc. But there is always the closet where nobody sees. i will move slowly and experiment. It seems a shame to paint panels in such good condition just because they are banged up.
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Post by vikx on Jul 23, 2014 20:55:25 GMT -8
I agree. DON'T PAINT IT. Much of your wood is really lovely, it would be a shame...
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jul 24, 2014 4:53:44 GMT -8
I agree. DON'T PAINT IT. Much of your wood is really lovely, it would be a shame... Paint is a funny thing, isn't it? My wife sees a painted vintage camper and says, "That is so cute and fresh!" I see the same photos and say, "I wonder what they're hiding? I wonder what made them feel painting was needed?" It's a tough question: grind down 1/3 of the panelling and probably destroy the scalloped trim along with the cabinets, live with marked and scuffed walls, or paint. There has to be another option. Hopefully polyurethane with color or whitewashing with a stain will work. They're next on my list to try. Why couldn't Shasta just put amber shellac in the Compact!
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SusieQ
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Post by SusieQ on Jul 24, 2014 6:14:50 GMT -8
Regardless of shellac or not, the marks and scuffs will probably still show to some extent. I have wiped and sanded and wiped where the bunk poles scraped the wall. Those scratches are pretty deep and they are not going away. I just like to think they look better.
NC, have you looked behind your mirror? That's probably a good idea of what it looked like originally.
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Post by vikx on Jul 24, 2014 11:24:57 GMT -8
I can't imagine Shasta using poly... must have been a PO thing.
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nanat
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Post by nanat on Aug 14, 2014 16:50:51 GMT -8
I would use an MC stripper to remove all the finish (whatever it may be an MC stripper will easily remove it.. Then 3 coats of amber shellac. You can hand sand the scratched area but I would not use an electric sander on the veneer. Its pretty thin.
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