Wooden Door Cappings

[Jonny-Jimbo]

I've got a set of wooden door cappings I am planning on refurbishing, prossibly going to sell them with my Herald or on ebay. Anyway, some of the old varnish has flaked off, but a lot is stuck fast. I tried a bit of paint stripper on it, but it hasn't shifted it, so I'm guessing it's polyester rather than cellulose? If so, what's the best way to shift it without damaging the wood? Using a heat gun (Mum's hair drier?) and a scraper, working it gently?

[junkuser]

Scraping is probably the safest way.
Slow but no risk of staining the wood by strippers or warping/cracking it by heat.
Patience and a knife blade will get there followed by sanding to get rid of any marks or roughing up caused by the scraping.

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Cool beans, but what if scraping digs into the wood? It's not in the best of conditions. It's got a nice patina to it from the mould that grew in places though.I'll just keep going at it.

[bodders1]

Hi J-J

Scraping is the best way to refurb.  beg/steal/borrow a cabinet scraper and get someone to show you how to sharpen and use it.  It will take off the old finish without harming the wood.

[lordleonusa]

If it is original, gone yellow, flaking off...then it is simple urethane varnish, not polyurethane, it hadn't been invented back in the day.

You should run a hot clothes iron over it a few times, but don't leave it in one place for too long, or you will burn the wood.

This works perfectly, scrapers may dig in and damage the veneer.

I know, coz someone who worked at the factory in Nottingham where they made them for Triumph told me.

L  

[ferny]

Nitromors works as that's what I've always used. It can take a while and a few goes on the stuff which is still in good condition so can turn into a long messy job.

[Lord Sorbington]

Nitromors, a scraper and sandpaper.  It'll still take ages to get off, that original Triumph lacquer is good stuff.  As has been stated, take care not to damage the veneer.

[GT6 M]

Just get a hot air gun, and be care full ye no get it too hot, or it will scorch,

then when its all off,  use some 100 grit paper to get ruff bits off

then go down to 120, then 180, and then 240,

you can either varnish them, or oil them,

the oil you get for  rifle stocks is great stuff,

comes in a can, sprays on good, and ..Dries.. very quick too, unlike teak oil and the like,

first give it a quick coat, and let it dry, this will bring the grain up,

sand that, with 300, and then do it all ,

you will have a real good job

Marcus

[junkuser]

Using a sharp knife with the blade held a right angles to the surface  and scraping in the direction of the grain is unlikely to cause any significant surface damage.   Even if the grain is not consistant in direction the blade will not dig in.

Using a cabinet scraper would be good but encountering hard bits of the surface coating is likely to cause the cutting edge to bite into the wood as it points in the direction you are pushing the scraper.  By the time you perfected the art of filing the edge of the scraper  accurately to a right angle and then forming the cutting edge down to the correct angle the job would be done with a knife.

Cabinet makers used to also use broken pieces of window type glass as scrapers on fine work.  This may be worth a try.

Do not use paint scrapers for this work as they are designed to have the cutting edge travel forward, sliding on the surface under the paint at an angle and so are likely to cut into the timber like a chisel.

I have no experience with Triumph woodwork but the coating Jaguar used on their door cappings and dashboard comes off quite readily with the blade method.

[rotoflex]

Have you tried acetone?  
(Easily available in 'trial' sizes as fingernail polish remover, read the label)