Removing shellac and Tung Oil
 

I redid some of the Bulgy handguards that I bought. I bleached the wood and applied 4 coats of Tung Oil on the lower HG. I then put about 4 coats of shellac on top. The color of the HG is lighter than the top HG and the stock.

I was thinking of removing the shellac with denatured alcohol and also removing the tung oil. I was also thinking of putting some Tru Oil on the lower HG to darken it a bit and better match the upper HG.

What's the best way to remove the tung oil and shellac? Thanks.

One question: Why did you apply shellac over tung oil? To answer your question though, any wood stripper should work for you in removing the finish's that you applied.

Maybe your post was a bit confusing to me. Did you mean that you put T.O. on the lower HG and then Shellac on the upper HG ?

As was said, any stripper will remove the finish. I suggest that when you're down to the bare wood that you pick up a small can of stain that closely matches the darker of the woods. If you buy an oil based stain, use an oil finish for your final coats. Tru Oil is a good finish and you can make it as dull or as glossy as you want.

Yeah, sorry about the confusion. I put Tung Oil on all the furniture, and then used shellac as a sealer. I'm not sure of that was good or bad, but it looks nice. I just don't care for the color of the lower HG. I have some Bix stripper that I'll use tonight.

My plan was to strip the furniture, and then add the Tru Oil. I think that the Tru Oil will give it the darker hue that's needed to match the upper HG.

When I get home I'll post some pics so you can what I'm working with.

Will shellac be ok as a sealer over Tru Oil?

I'm not sure. Sorry.

If you want to stay with a fairly stock look, just stain the parts with a water based stain to match and then use shellac and be done with it. Oil and then shellac is redundant and really not necessary.

Here are some pics of the wood furniture finished in Tung Oil and shellac. After looking at them again, I'm not sure that I should start over. What do you guys think?

There isn't that much difference in the color if the pics are good. If that's the case, call it done and put it back together. It's a rifle, not a piano. :cool:

Agreed... They look fine to me also.

To answer your question about using shellac as a sealer? It's not necessary. The Tru oil or BLO or Tung Oil would seal the wood just fine. No need to be redundant.

Here's the bottom line, you have three pieces of furniture with three different grain run directions.

YOU WILL NEVER GET THEM TO MATCH! (Unless you paint them solid.)

Do one of the following two options:

1. Put the damn thing back together and be extremely proud of your work, and justifiably so!

2. If you have a piece that is lighter than the other two, and you MUST try to correct it, strip it completely to bare wood. Take a Bernz-Torch with a flame spreader and LIGHTLY go over the wood to enhance the grain. What happens is the softer pulp wood burns and darkens and the harder grain remains in contrast. GO EASY, don't charcoal the part! After a few passes do a light sanding or steel wool and if more contrast is desired go back after it with the torch.

Remember Occam's razor, or the law of parsimony. In science, the simplest theory that fits the facts of a problem is the one that should be selected. (SEE # 1 above)