Swing Paints Message Board

From	Message
Ike Rahemtulla 8/16/2002 09:03:15	Subject: Circa 1850 problems Message: I just bought the stripper & tried it on a sample piece. I've sprayed this small 2" piece 7 times by now & all that's happened is that it's now got a chalk like covering on it. The varnish has NOT been affected at all!!
Mark 8/16/2002 09:13:27	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Please describe which product you are using and exactly what you are trying to strip. Some finishes are extremely tough and require us to formulate specific strippers. You probably have a conversion or catalyzed lacquer - we have seen this before and have developed a stripper for this type of finish.
I. Rahemtulla 8/16/2002 09:27:41	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Item is part of a curtain Oak railing & am attempting to remove the varnish/stain from it to bare wood. The product is Circa 1850 spray can & it states that it removes"old paint,varnish,urethane & lacquer. UPC # 68097 18009
Mark 8/16/2002 10:24:29	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper should remove the varnish, but will not remove the stain. Apply a liberal coat of Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper to the surface. Wait a couple minutes (do not let the stripper dry out) and use steel wool or a synthetic pad to remove the softened finish. Mark
I. Rahemtulla 8/16/2002 12:01:55	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I'm sorry that I didn't mention specifically but the stripper I bought is in fact "Furniture Stripper" & yes i did also try what you mentione----Does NOT work!!
Mark 8/16/2002 12:35:27	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I have to assume then that you have a conversion lacquer coating - these are very difficult to strip. Do not despair - we have a stripper for everything. Please let me know where you are located and we will figure out a way to get you the correct product. Mark
Ike Rahemtulla 8/18/2002 09:05:55	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Thanks--well I'm glad that there's something there for stripping. Mind you the can does say that it'll do what I intended to do & the helper @ RONA said it would work. Anyway, I live in Brampton & the closest intersection to me is Goreway Dr. & Hwy 7. Please note that I've to strip these pieces by next Mon/Tues to give it to the furniture maker who's making our bedroom furniture in order that the new stain on these matches the finish on our new furniture. BR & thanks Ike
Allen Hahn 8/22/2002 13:16:07	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I have used Circa 1850 on old wood and it worked great! I now need to strip acrylic enamel from riveted aluminum without leaving corrosive residue behind. Will Circa 1850 do that?
Mark 8/22/2002 14:51:14	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper will have no effect whatsoever on the aluminum substrate. Mark
Sharon 1/02/2003 10:01:53	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Hi, I'm currently stripping an old kitchen wainscotting that has MANY layers of paint and varnish (the last one appears to be milk paint!) I am using the Heavy Body stripper first and then the Furniture Stripper to get off the last of the milk paint, etc. My problem is that when I use the Furniture Stripper with steel wool, the product gets through the gloves (even your own gloves) and makes my fingers tingly. ANY advice would be appreciated, I still have about 15' of wainscotting to strip
Mark 1/02/2003 10:12:05	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Sharon, Firstly, if you are successful using the Furniture Stripper on the milk paint - GREAT! I usually use Soft Strip on this type of paint. It softens the paint easier and keeps it liquid so that it is easier to remove. Just a suggestion. When using the Stripping Gloves and steel wool (or otherwise having your hands in the stripper), it is best to have a few pairs around. When you feel a cool or tingly sensation, remove the gloves and let then dry inside out. Put on your spare pair of gloves. I also find that using sythetic pads instead of steel wool will prevent small holes from developing in the gloves.
S. Sweetapple 1/12/2003 10:41:14	Circa 1850 problems Message: I just purchased a gallon of Circa 1850 furniture stripper to strip my pine ceiling. The ceiling was installed about 7 years ago when we first built the house and it was finished with 2 coats of varathane. Unfortunately somewhere during the process of varathaning the ceiling one of the workers used a used latex roller that had some white latex resideau in it. As the finish/wood has aged the white has become more pernounced and I am now trying to strip the worse parts off. I applied the stripper at least 7 times, infact to ensure it didn't dry out, I sat on the top of the ladder and kept on applying it every few minutes. Only a little has come off and I now seem to have more white in the finish than I did before. I need help.
David 6/19/2003 12:23:50	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: A kitchen wall is covered with tongue & groove (spruce, I think) with lots of knots in it. It has been finished with some type of urethane. When I applied Circa 1850 to a small area, it turned the spot a whitish color. After soaking the spot the urethane began to peel off in spots. I used a small paint brush which lasted only a short time before it became useless and then applied the stripper with a sponge brush. This did not last much longer. 0000 extra fine steel wool removed some of the whitish materia. My questions are: is this the proper procedure to be going through? It appears that I will be using a large quantity of stripper if so. Are there better ways of applying the stripper as I'll be using quite a few brushes?
Mark 6/19/2003 13:49:49	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Please indicate which Circa 1850 product you are using. You should always use a pure bristle brush when using paint removers.
JIM 6/23/2003 17:03:52	STRIPPING OLD PLAYER PIANO? Message: HI, I'M TRING TO REMOVE THE VARNISH AND STAIN ON AN OLD UPRIGHT PIANO. I'M TRYING TO SCRAP AND SAND IT AND IF I'M LUCKY I SHOULD BE DONE IN ABOUT 10 YEARS. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST I USE, PRODUCT WISE, TO GET DOWN TO THE BARE WOOD SO I CAN RE-STAIN AND VARNISH THIS PIANO? THANKS, JIM FILIPPI
JIM 6/23/2003 17:13:56	PLAYER PIANO Message: PLEASE NOTIFY ME WHEN I GET A MESSAGE. THANKS, JIM
Mark 6/23/2003 18:20:16	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I would use Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper for the piano - although none of our strippers will remove the stain. Quite often the stain is incorporated into the varnish so you may not have to bleach out any stain that has penetrated into the wood. By the way, you should be done in less that 10 years using this technique.
Therese 7/25/2003 11:54:27	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I have been stripping the legs of a stool using Circa 1850 and the stripping gloves Crica 1850. They say that the gloves are industrial grade and chemical resistant. Could you please tell me why my fingers are burning after doing only three legs. there are no holes in the gloves but my fingers are feeling the coldnest of the stripper and I get this burning sensation in both hands.
therese 7/25/2003 12:10:10	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Please notify me when I get a reply to my question above.
Mark 7/25/2003 12:52:42	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: If your gloves are in direct constant contact with the stripper, you will feel the coldness of the stripper as it evaporates from the glove surface. There may also be some burning if you are using the gloves to hold steel wool or synthetic pads that are saturated in stripper. My recommendation is to have 2 pairs or gloves. Use one pair until you begin to notice the cold sensation. Take these off to air dry and use the second pair.
cathy 7/26/2003 11:12:36	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I've been using the furniture stripper to strip an old dresser. The directions on the can are different than the directions on the web site?! On the can it say to keep brushing "let the stripper do the work for you", it doesn't say anything about letting it sit for a few minutes. At this point I've used 1 1/2 litres and I'm only half done. Also on the can it says to use fine 0000 steel wool. When I used this it left black residue on the wood. On your website you say to use medium steel wool. I tried your synthetic stripping pad, the green one, and it leaves a green residue. What gives?
Mark 7/26/2003 12:39:43	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: You are correct - there are some differences when it comes to directions...and these change periodically as we attempt to make them more concise and accurate. As a matter of fact, we are in the process of updating all our product labels and you will notice some major changes. For instance the new Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper label will state: "DIRECTIONS: Avoid working in direct sunlight or wind. Wear Circa 1850 Stripping Gloves and protective eyewear. Protect work area with polyethylene or foil sheet. Pour some stripper into a foil or metal container. Brush a generous coat onto .1-.4 m2 (1-4 ft2) of surface and let stand for 5 minutes or until paint blisters. Keep area being stripped completely saturated with stripper. If stripper dries out, reapply to reactivate. Remove softened finish using the paint brush or a scraper. Use Circa 1850 Maple Scraper to avoid gouging wood surfaces. If finish is exceptionally thick and some residue remains, repeat the procedure. Remove finish residue with Circa 1850 Stripping Pad or steel wool dipped in remover. Allow surface to dry. Sand surface lightly prior to staining or refinishing." "Keep brushing - let the stripper do the work for you" was meant to convey the idea that the surface should not dry out. This technique works well, but we have found that it is more economical to apply a generous coat and let it stand for a few minutes. Once the finish has softened it can be easily removed. "Use fine 0000 steel wool" is the final step once the majority of the finish has been removed. At times the finish is really stuck in the grain of the wood and you will go through a lot of 0000 steel wool to get it out. The medium grade steel wool or synthetic pad do a better job because they do not gum up as easily - again, it was a matter of economics. Neither steel wool nor our synthetic pads should leave any residue on wood surface when using Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper. Are you using a different product? The residue should be easily removed by wiping the surface with a cloth or paper towel dipped in stripper.
cathy 7/26/2003 21:41:19	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Thank you for the fast response. Since reading the instructions on the website the stripper is lasting a lot longer. I appreciate the updated version of instructions though I'm almost done now. I am annoyed that I've probably used at least 1/2 litre more than was necessary. As far as the synthetic pad I'm sorry to tell you this but it is definitely leaving a green residue so I stopped using it (another waste of about $4.00) and so is the superfine steel wool(Bulldog brand). I didn't mention before but it is paint I'm stripping from the dresser, I don't know if that makes any difference. Lastly do you think 220grit sandpaper will be the appropriate product to finish?
Mark 7/28/2003 11:07:09	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I do not know why both the synthetic pad and steel wool left a residue on the dresser. After stripping off the paint, and before applying a finish, you should sand the wood. Depending on the roughness of the wood, you may want to start with a 150 or 180 grit. If the wood is fairly smooth to the touch, 220 would work just fine.
cathy 7/28/2003 11:51:01	Thank You!! Message: Mark, I have to thank you so much for your super fast responses. The service and advice on this message board is the best! Since this is my first time undertaking this type of project this site has been a huge help and when I get to the stage of actually finishing the dresser you can be sure I'll be looking here for advice.
Beth 9/20/2003 07:55:35	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Stripping Parkay flooring: we used the "Soft Strip" in the bedroom - it took 2x to strip off old finish, looks great! Started on the hallway, which had wax on top of old finish - in some areas the stripped floor is blotchy where using the Soft Strip has overlapped. Where should we go from here: 1) try another coat of "Soft Strip" or another of your products? Please advise.
Mark 9/22/2003 08:43:17	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Wax will cause some problems as it may prevent the remover from getting at the finish. Furthermore, it may cause the Soft Strip to absorb differently onto the wood. The best solution would be to apply a coat of Soft Strip and leave it for at least 30 minutes. Try this on a small area first where you have some overlapping. Remove the Soft Strip and let me know if this has solved the overlap problem.
RSch 9/29/2003 18:52:33	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Please email to me, or tell me where I can find online an MSDS for Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper
Dan 9/30/2003 00:38:28	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Hi there. Just started using Circa 1850 Soft Strip on plastic and pewter miniatures as it was suggested to me to do a rather good job. Two questions thus far: 1. I wasnt able to purchase the gloves to use, so I used what was available, just regular nitrile rubber gloves. I ended up puncturing one of the gloves and getting the soft strip on my hand for a somewhat prolonged period of time. The area where the soft scrub was at has turned white, appears to have died, is burning, and tingling below the surface. Now, i'm sure this isnt a good thing, but how concerned should I be? 2. The effect on the pewter models (acrylic Citadel paint) was nearly immediate, and after an hour nearly all the paint was removed. However, the effect on the plastic was much different. After nearly 6 hours it has only removed minimal ammounts of the spray basecoat. (Citadel spray, not sure what it is but pretty sure its acrylic as well.) Is the soft strip still the way to go on plastics? Thanks for the info.
R. 9/30/2003 02:01:26	Circa 1850 MSDS Message: I would like to find an msds for circa 1850 furniture stripper, either online or by email... Please and thank you...
Chris 11/20/2003 20:59:29	Oak Cabinets Message: I'm in the process of trying to strip down over 30 kitchen cabinets with Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper (the one for varnish, urethane, lacquer, etc.). The cabinets must have some kinda different finish or something, because it doesn't matter how much stripper I put on or how long it sits, the finish won't even budge. And I could easily grow a full length beard by the time I finish sanding them down by hand, because the finish instantly gums up the sandpaper. I feel like burning them right now (that'll take the finish off). But seriously, there's gotta be another way to do it. Any suggestions?
Mark 11/24/2003 07:51:22	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Do you have any idea as to when the cabinets were made, or if the finish is original? Is the finish a paint or a varnish? When you sand, are you taking off colour as well as finish?
Chris 11/25/2003 01:39:20	Mystery cabinets Message: I honestly have no idea where the cabinets were made (possibly hell?). The finish could possibly be newer than the cabinets, but I'm not sure. It is definitely a varnish (several coats, it seems). When I sand, the varnish will instantly gum up the paper, but eventually the stain comes off as well. I would guess that they used an oil-based stain first, and then some kind of urethane or some kind of oil-based varnish. I tried every method I could think of. I tried using stripper, lacquer thinner, a heat gun, several scrapers and every combination of each. I even tried using deck stripper. That actually kind of reacted, but it turned the grain green. Needless to say, that did not bring me a great deal of satisfaction. In short, unless there is something I am unaware of or another way, sanding by hand seems to be the only option at the current moment.
Mark 11/25/2003 12:41:27	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I have two other suggestions. The first one would be to try some Circa 1850 Soft Strip. Because it reacts differently and stays wet longer it may just do the trick. If that does not work, we have an extremely powerful remover that will strip off any finish.
Chris 11/27/2003 03:33:55	finally worked Message: Thanks for the help, man. I finally got the right stuff (the heavy-duty varnish remover). It's still quite a scrub, but it takes most of the finish off. Longitude Latitude Later Dude!
Dee Bright 12/28/2003 14:48:01	painting a piano white Message: What is the best procedure for painting an old piano white? It is down the basement and still sounds pretty good. What paint should I use? It has a limed oak finish. What type of base should I use? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Dee (belleek@aol
Mark 12/29/2003 10:49:55	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Dee, You should use a good quality stain blocker primer (Prime-it Plus) followed by an oil-based gloss kithen and bathroom white paint.
Anonymous 4/01/2004 11:39:17	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: mark,i need your help,i live in mabou n.s. and cannot find a store for miles that sells a stripping tray. can you send one to me or put me in the direction of where to go to find one.your circa can says theirs such a thing. thanks rosalie.......
Mark 4/01/2004 14:10:58	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: The new cans no longer mention a stripping tray - although I still prefer to use one (I have my own personal supply). The best way to get one would be to have a Home Hardware store do a special order through their warehouse in Debert.
Rob 5/09/2004 20:14:35	circa 1850 and fibreglass Message: will circa 1850 affect fibreglass? I want to use it to clean some teak on my boat so I can re-stain it but do not want to affect the fibreglass - either structurally or appearance wise. which product should i use. do you guys have a spot on your website where users can submit before and after photos
Mark 5/10/2004 07:03:57	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Original fibreglass will not be affected by the Circa 1850 strippers. However, any patchwork or repairs will probably be softened as the material used in these is not the same quality. For best results, use the Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper - it works the fastest and will dry quickest, leaving less time on the fibreglass. It may be a good idea to test it first on an inconspicuous area just to be safe. Please submit your photos to advert@swingpaints.com We are currently working on a photo gallery
Gary 6/16/2004 18:24:43	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I just finished using Circa 1850 to strip old paint from a wooden door and it performed flawlessly.....I intend to sand the door next and then re-finish with paint....should I wash down the door with water to remove any residule stripper before I re-coat this door or will the stripper dissipate by itself ?
Mark 6/16/2004 18:32:07	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Washing wood with water is never a good idea. If you used Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper, all you really need to do is sand lightly and apply your finish. If Circa 1850 Heavy Body Paint & Varnish Remover was used, it is best to wash the surface with mineral spirits before sanding. If you used Circa 1850 Soft Strip you should allow the door to dry for several hours or use isopropanol to rinse the surface prior to finishing. Good luck.
Phil 6/20/2004 12:27:14	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I can't get the cap off the can!!! It's supposed to be as easy as 1,2 but I can't get it! Discouraged, and feeling like an idiot. Phil
Donna 9/16/2004 01:37:04	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I have used Circa 1850 before on relatively new furniture (3 year old buffet and hutch) and had great success. Now I am using the furniture stripper on some new chairs (less than year old) but can't seem to get all the finish off even after mulitple coats. I now know that the chairs were lacquered and not varnished. Which of your products would be the best to remove laquer so I can start restaining! I would appreciate any and all suggestions!!1
Mark 9/17/2004 06:34:13	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Donna, Some finishes are harder to remove that others. You may want to try using the Circa 1850 Heavy Body Paint & Vanish Remover. Apply a coat of the product and cover it with some saran wrap or aluminum foil. Let it sit for about 30 minutes before trying to remove the finish.
Donna 9/17/2004 11:19:29	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Mark Thank you so much for your quick response. I will let you know how things go.
Donna 9/20/2004 23:56:49	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Hi Mark I tried the Circa 1850 Heavy Body Paint and Varnish Remover. It did a better job, but what I am left with is some sort of a plastic-like coating placed on the wood before the stain was applied (I have never encounterd this before). Some of this finish did come off with the Heavy Body Paint and Varnish Remover, but not all. I will have to sand this coat off, but I am a bit concerned about what grade sandpaper I am to use. I have looked at different help sites, but am even more confused as different refinishers recommend different grades.
Mark 9/21/2004 06:44:18	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: More than likely you have a catalyzed lacquer finish that was applied prior to the lacquer stain. This is very common in large production shops. They finish all the pieces with a clear finish. Then, if the customer needs some cherry chairs they go ahead and put on a quick couple coats of a cherry coloured lacquer. If you want, you can try to let the stripper work for a longer time. If not, you should sand with 120 or 150 sandpaper. You can then finish sand with 180 or 200 if you are not going to do any staining. If you start with a coarser grade, you will have to resand with 120 or 150 to get a smooth finish. The rules for sanding are to start with the grade that will do the best job by balancing the amount of wood that will be taken off with the amount of effort involved. Progress from coarser to finer grits in small stages (e.g., 80-120-180) to obtain a smooth finish with no visible scratches.
Dawna 9/22/2004 13:11:51	RE: Circa 1850 MSDS Message: Please email me a current MSDS for Circa 1850 Paint and Varnish remover. Thanks in advance. Dawna
Donna 9/23/2004 07:00:22	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Dear Mark Thanks so much for all the help. I took your advice and let the stripper work for a longer time. The results have been so much better. I will have to put some pieces through a second stripping, but everything is going so much more smoothly. Sanding will not be as labour intensive as it could have been. Thank you so much for the services that your company provides. Wonderful customer services are always appreciated.
margie krisch 9/25/2004 14:54:33	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I have a litre of 1850 furniture stripper, I am going to strip a very old sweing machine, does this product work on the metal parts as well or should I buy another product for those parts of the sewing machine...thanks
Mark 9/26/2004 09:50:12	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper can remove finishes from wood, metal, brick, cement, etc.
sue 11/03/2004 10:17:38	varathaning over beeswax Message: I want to apply varathane on a dresser which has a wax finish already on it. (probably beeswax). How do I strip the wax or can the varathane be applied directly on the wax?
Liz 12/07/2004 19:17:08	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I am using the soft strip to remove many layers of paint that go back to a strange primer underneath. I'm sure that there is lead in this paint. I'm hoping that I'm not endangering myself by using the soft strip. The bottle says nothing about safety or effectiveness of the soft strip on these type of paints. Please let me know if I should be using another type of stripper. I'm working on the bathroom window and have had the exhaust fan on while working. Is this OK?
Mark 12/08/2004 09:13:48	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Yes, as long as you follow the directions on the label, you will be fine. Lead paint is not an issue with chemical strippers.
isaac 12/11/2004 11:06:56	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: I sanded down my parquet flooring in the basement and re stained it. The stain does not want to dry.Why. Also cound I use polyurathane before the stain dries. It has been 2 days now.
Mark 12/13/2004 06:09:17	RE: Circa 1850 problems Message: Did you completely sand off the finish right down to the bare wood? What stain product did you use?