Homemade varnish stripper?

[Seagreen]

Caustic soda and wallpaper paste. Ok but in what quantities?
And does anyone have any suggestions as how this mix could be improved?

 

[lesweeks]

Do you have to use chemicals? I've had to strip a great deal of varnish recently and I've found the best - cleanest, non-staining, no need to rinse off, no sticky mess, easy sweep up, etc. - way was using a heat (hot air) gun and a good tungnsten edged scraper. OK, you need power but the varnish comes away so easily and you're ready to rub down straight away.

 

[Seagreen]

I've always found that there are little nooks and crannies that remain unstripped with that method. I've plenty of power available, but don't really like the idea of a heat gun as it can (if I'm not careful) scorch the wood.

 

[ccscott49]

Have to agree with Les-w, I use heat gun. Plus I would not try and mix my own stripper, use a proprietry one, not expensive. But only use on the difficult bits. It's bloody messy.

 

[tidclacy]

Have to agree with the hot air gun. Used one for the first time this year and found it really easy and not difficult to avoid burning.

 

[LittleShip]

I use a tungsten blade scrapper and trust me I have loads of brightwork. It's easy and quick, any form of chemical is IMHO only worthwhile for those final ingrained bits.

Try looking for Skarsen or Friendly scrappers? The best one I have is

www.gelplane.co.uk/proscraper/product.asp

and I use it on all my brightwork that needs to be stripped.

Tom

 

[Seagreen]

Ok everyone, As the consensus seems to be hot air and scraping, then thats what I'll do. I've a couple of stanley tungsten scrapers I can convert to being attached to a vacuum, so I'll give that a go. I just don't like the persistent noise for hours on end!

 

[lesweeks]

That's why God made iPods!

 

[Seagreen]

Well, as I've just inherited the wife's old one, I'd better learn how to use it!

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