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2ajsmama

Stain 'fisheye'???

2ajsmama
15 years ago

I had to strip the CL coffee table b/c the lacquer I sprayed on fisheyed even after heavy wiping with mineral spirits. I had applied 3coats of lacquer, tried to level it but just couldn't get the fisheyes out. Don't know why mineral spirits didn't get rid of contaminants. Anyway, used some orange gel stripper and the wash that came with it, I used this to strip paint off a rocking chair a couple years ago but haven't stained the chair b/c I still have paint in crevices and got busy with other things. Anyway, after washing it down with the wash and fake steel wool, light wipe of mineral spirits, I let it dry and just tried brushing on a coat of stain. Stain started to look like it had been rained on! I brushed stain again, and the spots came back. So I took a paper towel and wiped off as much stain as I could. What is going on? And how do I fix it?

Thanks

Comments (4)

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    15 years ago

    Alcohol removes silicone better that mineral spirits.
    Casey

  • furnone
    15 years ago

    This is a good example of the havoc that can be wreaked by using polishes containing silicone. Of course, the source of silicone could be from something else. Early in my career, our shop was upstairs from a plastic molding business. When they sprayed silicone mold release, the silicone would sometimes float through the whole building and raise hell with our finishing.

    It is almost impossible to remove all the silicone.I have never had to use it in the stain. I would try a heavy bodied oil wiping stain.

    For the lacquer, go to an auto paint store and get a bottle of fisheye remover. You may be able to add the fisheye remover to the stain too, I'm not sure. Use it sparingly, too much and the lacquer begins to get cloudy. If the stain goes on OK, Spray a couple of light misting coats of sanding sealer, scuff sanding with 280 grit afer each coat. Spray the lacquer in light coats.

  • 2ajsmama
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks guys. I will try denatured alcohol, then a heavy (opaque) wiping stain. I had just tried some Minwax walnut I had from some old project (so old I can't remember) and though I love to see the grain through it, the legs are an opaque "chocolate cherry stain" (toner?) from the factory so I need something that's got a lot more solids in it. If that doesn't work, I'm off to find fisheye remover. Other than that, the table goes to the Salvation Army and maybe someone else will have better luck. DH won't let me get this professionally refinished since we paid half of the new cost for it, it would end up costing more than that to get it redone. Guess I should have checked the unfinished furniture store before CL. Or looked at the tables in the light before DH put them in our truck!

  • 2ajsmama
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Well, I tried the denatured alcohol, still see tiny shiny spots all over. Should I try stripping again before I try adding fisheye remover to stain? We're in the boonies so I don't even know an auto paint store, though there are some body shops around I could ask where they buy theirs...

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