Thanks Brian

Thank you Máire. 🙂

Hi Chris. Go for it. I think it is definitely the way to go for teak MCM furniture. ✅

Hi. I have never even heard of such a thing? I know I have used them to clean an oven, but for furniture? They are extremely hazardous sprays .

You're very welcome. Thank you. 🙂

Hi David. Thank you for your comments. I think its always nice to read about other restorers techniques. I was shocked by how effective this stripper was. Having read reviews from so many people slating the product I wanted to know why. I know it may well not perform as well s the chemical in other situations. I think I will try it on a tougher finish to see how it performs, possibly another video. The reason I neutralise after I have sanded with 120 grit is to ensure there is no steel wool residue.It eliminates the risk of the wire wool reacting with the meths, leaving black burn marks on the surface. When it comes to finishing I find that it's not just a case of what finish works best but also the aesthetics of it, personal preference: A table tops shellac will give you a completely different look and feel to an oiled finish, or a lacquered finish. All of which have their merits. Tung oil in my experience takes too long to dry and penetrates too deep for my liking on a veneered finish. Shellac will give a deeper, glossier finish that shows of the grain but as you rightly say it is vulnerable to spills and heat. Also if you are trying to mimic the original look and feel of a MCM finish shellac is not an easy or effective way to do it. We at Gilboys have tried many ways of finishing these tables including two pack melamine lacquers. But the method I demonstrate not only can be achieved by anyone, it also looks, and importantly feels, like the original finishes of that time. On antique period tables and furniture they should nearly always be finished with shellac ( this doesn't mean they have to shine like a beacon, it's all down to the skill of understanding the processes and how to achieve the right look). We have always bought our polish premixed using a table top shellac polish that is tougher than an ordinary pale polish. We have finished period tables with lacquer before now. Sometimes the practical circumstances will dictate the finish. (holiday lets, hotel or B&B) Knowing that the finish can be removed and re-polished at a later date. 🙂 Many thanks for your comments. I'm in the middle of editing 'part 2' (over an hour long) Best wishes Simon

@@GilboysRestoration Hi Simon, Thankyou for your detailed reply, it’s much appreciated. I am frequently pleasantly surprised that while I have been restoring and learnt a lot of techniques over the years, there is still so much I am not aware of and always happy to learn from others way more experienced. I just sat down this afternoon and watched your French polishing series (parts 1-3), and while there was much I was aware of and employ, there was still much I havn’t been using and now feel more confident that my French polishing techniques can only improve. Unlike yourself who was professionally trained via an apprenticeship and have worked as a antiques restorer professionally, I am but an amateur with years of experience. I am looking forwards to utilising some of what your explained/demonstrated in my latest project, let alone some other projects coming up. I was equally surprised just effective the eco stripper was and given your experience, I think I will have to revisit this, maybe the effectiveness of these kinds of strippers has improved since I last tried them. I too would be interested to see how effective they might be on a tougher finish.. Yes, I get the reason for neutralising after sanding, after all as you say, the last thing you want left behind is some remnant steel wool leaving black or even rust marks behind. The more I have been recently learning from your channel, let alone Thomas Johnson (US based antiques restorer), about the variety of finish products, staining and so much more, I have also started to experiment with different finishes, not just in my own projects but as well clients projects I have worked on and/or will be in future. Thankyou re your thoughts on the use of shellac vrs Tung oil for items like table tops. I understand what you say and I must say while for side tables and other antique furniture (chairs/chest of drawers etc) I have always used shellac. Its for items like a dining table or those surfaces which would have high wear and/or risk of damage from water and heat that has had me wondering what kind of finish to use. I agree the level of shine achieved should be dictated by what one likes, what a customer might want or what seems appropriate for the item being restored. Having watched your most recent videos on the mid century table, I think a finish as you applied in this instance makes a lot of sense to me, and one I will try using in future. I don’t have the equipment or facilities to use 2 pack spray lacquers etc and in the end I prefer to use natural rather than ‘plastic coatings’ finishes. However, I accept they have their place.

some things ive had to strip ..staying wet and not drying back into the wood on slow carved areas would be a bonus , but introducing moisture into the wood like that is a worry ,especially opening the grain or making wood softer and easier to damage for carved or moulded parts ...popping the grain is a plus for some finishes .....otherwise i would encourage diy'ers to use the non toxic one .....because our chemical strippers are horrible stuff to work with

Thank you. I'm hoping that part 2 will shed a little more light on the folding 'butterfly leaf'. I hope all is well with you. Best wishes Simon

Thank you. 🙂

We have used a scraper ‘dry’ on a finish. But only when the finish is very flaky. (Like flaky sunburnt skin). I really don’t understand why people have trouble with using liquid stripper. It is far more effective than dry sanding or scraping. Liquid strippers will only remove the old finish, they won’t damage the patinated wood surface it was protecting. Using paper or a scraper will undoubtedly remove a layer of wood at the same time which is fine if you want to strip and refinish to make a piece look like new. But it goes against all the aims of a restorer where you are striving to as little abrasive damage as possible to the ‘antique’ It’s the reason I create these videos. Restoration of old furniture is all about considered processes. Quick fixes or shortcuts often lead to the opposite effect. Sorry that was a bit of a rant. 😆 It’s like those special ‘wood reviving recipes’ I read and hear about. Mayonnaise, vinegar, methylated spirits.etc all mixed together with olive oil or linseed. It’s a cocktail of incompatible products that can harm an old finish and only work because there’s an oil slick on the surface. Sorry I’ve gone off again! Must be rant Friday. 😂. My advice is learn and understand the considered process of finishing and once one understands how they work then you can ‘adapt’ them to work differently in certain situations. ✅✅✅ Kind regards Simon. 🙂

Hi Rob. Thank you. I'm assuming you mean to just sand the table from the outset and not use a stripper. Sanding from the start is rarely a wise move. There are situations where you can do this but I would not recommend doing so on veneered table. It is highly likely that you will sand through. Also the sandpaper will likely clog up very quickly, meaning you will have to constantly change sandpaper. Other reasons for not straight out sanding: you are also likely to leave traces of the old finish in the grain which will sometimes only be seen when you start refinishing. By all means, it can be done, but you would have to be very attentive to the task in hand and one lapse in concentration and you've sanded through. The intention of this video, and many of the others on our channel, is to demonstrate a way of achieving an almost professional finish, with absolutely no prior experience or knowledge in this field. There are always alternative ways of doing things, but the levels of risk increase when corners are cut, fine if you are confident and have some experience. If you feel confident, and I say this without any malice, 'go fill your boots' as they say 👍😃. Best wishes Simon

It was Home Strip water based stripper

@@GilboysRestoration thanks so much for replying!

Thanks Lisa. I'm going to send them the links to the vides once I have finished editing the last one.

Hi Rebecca Its probably too late, Sorry. But for others reading this, I would use wire wool and a whittled dowel to get in to these areas. Basically use anything you can think of that will get into the carved areas without damaging the wood. You have to be inventive. 👍

Hi Marcelo. The real test is what does it look like when you wipe over it with some methylated spirits as I do in the video? Does it look even? if not then 'blotchy' means there is still old finish left behind. Take a look at pert two of this restoration to see more.. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jcp8d5eF2rG3n6s.html Best wishes Simon

@@GilboysRestoration Thank you Simon and Gilboys crew.

Hi Jackie. Yes it really surprised me. Hopefully you will be able to buy it on our website soon. ✅

I feel your pain. It's the pay off between a chemical stripper which is very effective but bad for your health and the planet. And environmentally safe ones which don't quite have the the same punch. We hopefully will be selling the stripper you saw me demonstrate in this video. I found it to be fantastic in this situation but it may not be so in other applications. The pay off for all the good stuff that it brings, (which is quite amazing ) is that it may be slower at the task it's employed to do. But if it goes in some small way to save your health and the planet then I personally feel its worth it. Kind regards Simon

Hi Colm. The chemical stripper I'm using is exactly the same as the old 'Nitromors'. In fact it's possibly stronger, as it's an industrial use stripper. The water based stripper, in this application, beat it hands down. 😳. I didn't expect it to, but it did.

What's a 'Big L'?