Darren Posted December 9, 1998 Report Share Posted December 9, 1998 I have a cheap Strad-copy I want to strip the finish off of, restain and varnish. Anyone with some thoughts, advise or who knows of a good book on the subject. thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Darnton Posted December 9, 1998 Report Share Posted December 9, 1998 If all it is really is a cheap piece of junk, paint stripper does fine. Don't use sandpaper or steel wool or you'll disturb the nice color of age that can build up just under the varnish. : I have a cheap Strad-copy I want to : strip the finish off of, restain and varnish. : Anyone with some thoughts, advise : or who knows of a good book : on the subject. : thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Darnton Posted December 9, 1998 Report Share Posted December 9, 1998 You didn't ask, but I'll tell you in advance that you'd better really be sure it's a piece of junk, because ANYTHING you do to change the varnish is going to considerably reduce it's value, no matter how bad you think it is now. I assume you're going to turn it into a lamp or something, because once it's been revarnished no violin dealer or knowledgable player is going to want to touch it with a ten-foot pole. : : : I have a cheap Strad-copy I want to : : strip the finish off of, restain and varnish. : : Anyone with some thoughts, advise : : or who knows of a good book : : on the subject. : : thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. Brown Posted December 9, 1998 Report Share Posted December 9, 1998 Hello, I'm in the process of refinisihing an instrument, a 13-inch viola of no value to be donated to the school district. I fortunately have advice from a maker. I stripped it with Safety-strip, 3M. It took a long time, but more or less nontoxic. I got it all over me as well as the viola. Varnishing is in process but slow due to the wet and cool weather. I'm using Tried & True Natural Resin Varnish, amber and garnet. It's difficult to do an even job, and it is a good thing the kid who gets it in the end won't care that it looks uneven due to my ineptness. First coat was put on with a brush. Second coat was thinned and then wiped on, which was easier for me. To be continued. . . Ann Brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted December 10, 1998 Report Share Posted December 10, 1998 : You didn't ask, but I'll tell you in advance that you'd better really be sure it's a piece of junk, because ANYTHING you do to change the varnish is going to considerably reduce it's value, no matter how bad you think it is now. I assume you're going to turn it into a lamp or something, because once it's been revarnished no violin dealer or knowledgable player is going to want to touch it with a ten-foot pole. If you have a student grade instrument and the table has gouges in it which are down to bare wood - did you ever scrape the entire table. I have done it on a few instruments and they really looked great (relatively speaking). So if one starts with a piece of junk not much can be done to ruin it. What do you think? Paul : : : : : I have a cheap Strad-copy I want to : : : strip the finish off of, restain and varnish. : : : Anyone with some thoughts, advise : : : or who knows of a good book : : : on the subject. : : : thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Darnton Posted December 10, 1998 Report Share Posted December 10, 1998 Funny you should ask this question at this moment. I have made some small instruments for friends and relatives, and just today was getting one ready for the next victim. It had been knocked around quite a bit, so I rubbed some burnt umber oil paint over the whole thing, then wiped it off with a paper towel. The paint darkened the bangs so they looked quite normal, and the instrument looks great. I guess, however, that this would be an acquired taste for one not accustomed to the way fine old violins look (i.e., beat up). In those circles a scratch isn't a bad thing, but a white scratch is. This kind of making the dents dark, so they blend in, is the norm. : If you have a student grade instrument and the table has gouges in it which are down to bare wood - did you ever scrape the entire table. I have done it on a few instruments and they really looked great (relatively speaking). So if one starts with a piece of junk not much can be done to ruin it. What do you think? : Paul : : : : : : : I have a cheap Strad-copy I want to : : : : strip the finish off of, restain and varnish. : : : : Anyone with some thoughts, advise : : : : or who knows of a good book : : : : on the subject. : : : : thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted December 11, 1998 Report Share Posted December 11, 1998 Hi. I have just finished making my first violin, the varnish isn't what I had expected it to be but I was told of an easy way to strip it. Find some old useless sheets, soak them in denatured alcohol for several hours. Then tightly wrap them around the instrument. Put clear plastic wrap (it doesn't have to be clear, but that's probably what you have) around it to keep the alcohol from getting everywhere. Leave it for several hours or overnight, when you take the sheets off the varnish should come off too, that that dosen't can be sanded off. Hope I helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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