help - wax suggestion

[DrDan]

Need some advice.

Can anyone suggest a good paste wax for furniture? I have a pine table and a couple of other pine pieces that are needing some way. The furniture maker provided a little bit when we purchased the furniture - but it is long gone.

[yy4me]

1. Because pine is such a soft wood, it dings and scratches easily.

Before you put wax on the furniture, I'd touch up and scratches and dings that show the lighter wood underneath using the closest color stain I could find or mix. You can get Minwax in very small cans and mix colors so that you can come close. If the wood is a light to medium color, use colonial maple with a bit of dark walnut. Ratio of about 5 parts maple to 1 part walnut, mix well before combining, then mix the combined batch. This will take the yellowish tint out of the maple. The key is obviously in the color of your furniture. There are usually color charts available at the hardware stores that sell the product. If you don't stain the scratches, they will be forever sealed with the wax you put on the wood. Make sure you allow the stain to dry before waxing, it is best applied with a tiny paintbrush ot small bit if cloth. You don't want to mess up areas that do not need work. The stained spots will dry slightly lighter than they look when applied.

As to your wax question, I'd buy a can of good old Butchers wax. Been around for a million years and still the best there is. It is basically a bees wax so any brand will do. Wipe on (circular motion) a thin coat, allow to semi-dry and buff out in a circular motion with a soft cloth. You could also use a buffing pad on an electric drill to polish. It is an easy job. Stay away from the spray cans of polish or wax. Especially the polish. It builds up layers of gunk that you will eventually have to remove because it dulls the wood.

[DrDan]

2. thanks for the sound advice

scratches are not so much of a problem.

But - it looks like a wine bottle was put on a small pine piece over the holidays - with an old-English-like finish. There is a round area that matches a wine bottle exactly. This is a light pine finish - probably no stain on it at all. This round area is "fogged" - it is lighter than the surrounding area - my uneducated guess is that it is water related. I was hoping wax would bring back the finish. But you now have me a bit concerned to use the wax on it - I would not want to seal this "fogged" image.

[yy4me]

3. Hi, there are products on the market what will rub out the water

stains. Many have jewelers rouge in the liquid solution. I am aware that toothpaste will work on some finishes. Might be worth a try. What has happened is that moisture has seeped under the finish. If it has just whitened the finish toothpaste will probably work. Try it in a very small section of the circle and see if it does the job. I use a product only available through the trade. If you know a refinisher or an Antiques dealer, ask if they have Bril-glow. It is made by Mohawk. Powerful stuff.

Constantines, a supplier to many furniture refinishers sells a polishing compound for under $4.00 that may do the trick. I have not used it but the company sells only the best products for any given job. Check the link:

http://www.constantines.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=269

There may be a better description of other products they sell if you go directly to www.constantines.com and search around.

Good luck

[DrDan]

4. great site

placed an order for that polishing compound. Worth 3.25 to give it a try. I also have some cherry pieces that I am sure would benefit from it.

Also ordered some wax from there.

Will give the toothpaste a try on a small are and see if there is any improvement.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Dan

[Mist]

5. An odd suggestion my mother used to swear by: cigarette or cigar ashes

applied to the light water mark (the wine-bottle ring you mentioned). Leave on for at least an hour or two. Know any smokers?

[yy4me]

6. I remembered it as I read your post. It is valid and will sometimes

do the job. The ash is a slight abrasive. Sometimes it takes a try with all kinds of stuff to do the job.

[sandnsea]

7. Try some orange oil

Just let it sit on the mark for several hours. I've used mayo and ashes, and it does work. But you might want somthing more professional. I wouldn't use anything abrasive except as a last resort. You can lose the sheen.

[Whoa_Nelly]

8. Mayo works great!

Have used it many times to remove heat discoloration or water rings on wood.