# paint/vanish stripper did too much...



## johnnie_dr (Jan 8, 2016)

Hi,

I'm re-purposing an old piano (mahogany) and making it into a window seat/storage bench. 

I've built the box carcass out of some red oak and the top will be a long piece from the piano top (53"x18").

Clearly, the dark mahogany did not match the red oak (or come close). even though wifey said...let's use them both (she chose the red oak).

I finally convinced her to let me strip the piano top to at least get the old vanish off. I used a soy-based product...

The stripper pulled all kinds of sludge off, but also pulled some of the mahogany color out too...yikes. So I now have a rather blotchy appearance.

So...the question. After sanding, if I do a quick wipe with mahogany stain, do you think it will even it out?? Would you use a sanding sealer first (as I know that is effective in doing blotchy wood species)?

I can sand some of the un-even-ness out, but don't wanna grind through the veneer..

I've attached a pic of it.

All suggestions welcome...

thanks.

Johnnie


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

John; full marks to you for saving that lovely lumber! 
Breaks my heart to see old pianos being smashed up with no thought for the hardwood. That's vandalism by any other name.
Is it really veneer, or lumber?


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## johnnie_dr (Jan 8, 2016)

Hi DaninVan,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I sanded down some edge-grain and I can see that it's about 1/32' of veneer on top and bottom. The pic is the underside. So my thoughts about sanding it all of could put me in danger.
I supposed I could hit it with stripper again and try that route??

I just feel that if I lay down a coat or 3 of mahogany stain...the color variations of the old stain will still show through...yuk.

I'm popping over to the local Woodcraft shop to see what advise they might offer.

I also thought of using that Minwax Polyshade stuff (never used it) although I'm hesitant of that too...

Johnnie


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

what you may be seeing is glue that has bled through the veneer...
coloring may be your only recourse...
time to experiment..


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Have you got any cutoffs that you can experiment with...? You also wanted to get it close to the Oak...?

See how much the cutoffs will allow you to sand...just for trysies...

...and welcome...


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## johnnie_dr (Jan 8, 2016)

Thanks guys...

No cut-offs. I do have some scrap mahogany...but it's clean and oh-naturaall, so that won't work.

Stick...could be glue, but if that much got pulled out...I'd think I'd be starting to see de-lamination...and it's not. My guess is that since the piano is circa 1940...they would have used hide glue.

By coloring...did you mean dye or stain. I can do either/or as long as I don't get bleed-thru of the residual color.

Maybe primer-grey would look good ;-)

....


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

johnnie_dr said:


> Thanks guys...
> 
> No cut-offs. I do have some scrap mahogany...but it's clean and oh-naturaall, so that won't work.
> 
> ...


not pulled out but bled into the veneer during manufacture...
the finish you removed was hiding it...
heat will tell you if it's hide glue...

like I said... experiment...


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## firstmuller (Aug 28, 2014)

welcome to the forum. Please take pictures as you go along and show us.
Allen


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