Somewhere beneath years of boiled linseed oil (BLO) is a walnut tabletop and I would like to find it.
Here’s the back story:
About forty years ago My dad assembled a walnut venered, solid walnut bullnose conference table and my parents used it as a dining room table. The wood was “raw” so my dad finished it with boiled linseed oil. Every few years he would apply another coat.
Eventually my parents grew tired of the table so they gave it to their son (me). It served us well for about 15 years as a dining room table too. That is until a cat peed on it. (we were not to stressed because we were about to retire the table anyway.)
Now the table it has a rather large dark stain in the middle in the shape of a rectangular rubbermaid container (the pee wicked all around the edges of the container and went unnoticed for several days).
Sigh.
In an attempt to save the table top for some other purpose (I hate to throw wood out), I attempted to bleach down the stain (at this point, I figure I have nothing to loose). The bleach had some effect but not enough to mask the spot. So I rinsed off the tabletop and dried it. (the water actually beaded up nicely, like the hood of my car after a turtle-waxing 🙂
As I dried it I noticed a waxy buildup on the rag. Then I scraped the surface with my fingernail and collected a large glob of the same substance. I can only assume it is the leftovers from years of BLO.
So how do I get rid of years of BLO?
The table is about 4′ by 6′
What solvent or other method makes the most sense?
Thanks in advance,
Mark
Mark it with Chalk,
Cut it with an Ax.
Visit my woodworking blog Dust Maker
Replies
BLO really does penetrate. You'd probably have to sand down deeper than the veneer is thick to 'remove' it.
Mark,
As related to me by the head honcho at the Smithsonian's conservation lab, linseed oil is not readily removed by any of the common workshop solvents. As it "cures" the molecules link up, and it is difficult to get them to let go once that happens. High heat, around 430*F is required to make it happen, and as wood ignites at around 451*F, there's not a lot of leeway there!
Now that all being said, here are some things to try. As you said, what have you got to lose? You can wash it down with mineral spirits (paint thinner) while scrubbing with steel wool. Use plenty, and blot with paper towels, so you don't just smear things around. Go over it two or three times. I'd hit it with lacquer thinner after that. These will remove any wax or polish; if you are lucky, and it has been a while since you oiled the table, that may be what you are scraping off the top.. Lightly sand, then try bleaching again- clorox, hydrogen peroxide (can try alternating these, lots of ventilation), and oxalic acid if they don't work. You might (probably will) have to treat the whole top, after working on just the stained area. Neutralize with a baking soda in water wash after the oxalic acid. Rinse, and wipe dry. Finally, you can try one of the two part wood bleaches, available at paint stores. They will remove every bit of color from the wood.
While linseed oil really isn't a good finish for furniture, (even cured, it remains soft and sticky, and continually darkens as time goes on), it has been used for generations, as a finish, as a treatment to "feed" a dry finish, and as an ingredient in homebrew furniture polish. The duPont museum in Winterthur for years used just such a concoction of linseed oil, turpentine and beeswax- until the staff realized it was turning the furniture darker and darker. At least you are in good company. Don't think they allow cats at Winterthur though!
Good luck,
Ray Pine
Thanks Ray. Nice set of suggestions.Measure it with a Micrometer,
Mark it with Chalk,
Cut it with an Ax.
Visit my woodworking blog Dust Maker
Here is the article in discussion:
http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/info5.htmlAround the middle, you will see the offending material is vinegar (in the BLO and turpentine mix).Here are some other options:
http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/savingfinish.htmBut if you are faced with removing the old finish, forget the scrapers and sandpaper -- go get some stripper and be done with it.
byhammer,
Yup, can't argue with those guys.
Ray
I'd use a cabinet scraper to remove the BLO. It will pick up the tarry stuff, and it will not be washing stuff down into the pores of the wood, which is what solvents would do.
You'll have a delicate chore. You want to remove the old finish off the surface of the wood, the cat pee, and just a little of the wood itself so that you get a new uniform surface to refinish. The problem is that if you go too far you'll penetrate through the veneer.
Thanks Jamie,
I did a bit of scraping last night but I don't have any "real" scrapers so I had to improvise....Seems to work but very slow.Measure it with a Micrometer,
Mark it with Chalk,
Cut it with an Ax.
Visit my woodworking blog Dust Maker
You probably need a biochemist to advise on how to deal with cat urine. I had a similar problem once. Anyway, would it be impossible to strip the veneer & replace it? That is a lot of work, but it may be the only solution that works.
BTW, I don't understand your phrase "..walnut veneered, solid walnut..." Could you explain, please?
Cadiddlehopper
walnut veneered top, solid walnut bullnose - meaning the edges of the plank are covered with walnut strips.Measure it with a Micrometer,
Mark it with Chalk,
Cut it with an Ax.
Visit my woodworking blog Dust Maker
The best solvent to use for this job is alcohol . . .
. . . ideally aged about 12 years, and sipped slowly . . .
. . . while admiring the beautiful new table you've built and finished with a real and durable finish like lacquer, in less time than you would have wasted messing with the smelly old one.
Life's too short to spend rescuing things that don't need it.
Rich
LOL - love your answer. :-)Perhaps you are right....Measure it with a Micrometer,
Mark it with Chalk,
Cut it with an Ax.
Visit my woodworking blog Dust Maker
yup, gotta like that one. very creative. not a big fan of veneer anything anyway. paint the top of that one, build yourself something to be proud of, and keep the litter box clean!
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