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New Egghead with table refinishing question

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Cruzr
Cruzr Posts: 91
edited November -1 in EGG Table Forum
Ok, I'll try this again. Obviously, I am not an eggspert in posting photos here. But a quick search seems to help.
DSC_0184.jpg
Just bought this 6 yr old med Egg/table. This looks like a standard cypress table, but it is spray painted black. My wife doesn't think it looks as bad as I first described it to her, but I hate it, and would like it to be a lot nicer looking. I've never refinished anything before, and am wondering if sanding and refinishing is worth the trouble or should I just live with it? Can sanding take the paint completely off, leaving a surface that would be presentable with a stain/varnish or linseed oil/turpentine finish? And which would be the best finish for the long term with the least fuss?
I'll have a nest available so the Egg won't be out of commission. Any suggestions?
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  • misfit
    misfit Posts: 358
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    If it were me, I would do a small test area on the backside of the apron or maybe on a leg to determine what type of wood it is. Don't know why someone would paint good wood. Sanding or stripping is both messy and time consuming. If it looks like decent wood, it might be worth finding a furniture refinisher that has all the equiptment, perhaps even a dunk tank. Just my 2 cents.
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  • Cpt'n Cook
    Cpt'n Cook Posts: 1,917
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    That would be a job, either sanding or stripping. You might consider just doing the top and leaving the rest an elegant black. :)
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  • Cruzr
    Cruzr Posts: 91
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    Yeah, Cpt'n I was wondering about that also. The table really is in pretty good shape. I have removed a small corner piece in the back corner of the table, off the cutout for the Egg. It sanded out really nice on a small delta belt/disc sander. This might well be a doable project afterall, at least for the top, but the little combo sander won't be enough machine for this job. Cool, I get to buy an Egg and a new tool in the same weekend. Thanks for your suggestion.

    Bryan
    SE MI
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  • misfit
    misfit Posts: 358
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    Just wondering, what kind of wood is it? And not that I know anything, but it seems that alot of folks use a marine spar varnish for durability outdoors as opposed to an oil finish. Just trying to help...
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  • Cruzr
    Cruzr Posts: 91
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    table looks to be cypress. I've seen several shots of the BGE med/lg table and these are exactly the same as mine. I've no idea which is the best way to finish, that's why I was looking for suggestions.
    Cruzer
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  • Cruzr
    Cruzr Posts: 91
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    table looks to be cypress. I've seen several shots of the BGE med/lg table and these are exactly the same as mine. I've no idea which is the best way to finish, that's why I was looking for suggestions.
    Cruzer
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
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    A chemical stripper might be in order, especially since you have a nest for a temporary home for the egg. I don't think sanding on a piece with that many separate pieces will ever give you a satisfactory job.
    One question, how is this table put together? If it is screwed together or assembled with those cheap staples you may be able to take it apart and refinish it. That would be the best approach and make sanding realistic, if it is do-able B)
    Marine Polyurathane "Spar Varnish" is by far the best finish you can use. Min-Wax brand is good and is available everywhere. Put one coat on undersides and un-exposed surfaces, three coats every else, sand between coats, 220 grit or finer :)
    Hope this helps.

    Capt Frank
    Homosassa, FL
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  • Cruzr
    Cruzr Posts: 91
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    Thanks Cap't for your comments. Table will come apart fairly easily, it's just nailed together with galv deck nails. I was surprised it wasn't stapled together. I've already taken a couple boards out to work on. Got an idea last night, I may try flipping the top boards upside down, and refinishing what is now the bottom of the table top. Underneath the boards are also spray painted, but the paint is pretty thin on the underside, since the table was sprayed after assembly, and where boards were bolted/nailed together, there's no paint at all. The more I play with it, the more doable I think it is. A new 4" belt sander is definitely in the works... :evil:
    Tricky part looks to be sanding the top boards, either with all boards together as they are now, or sanded individually. I may have to reinforce the table top from underneath to even the tabletop boards out across the width of the top, as they are pretty uneven. This is probably a good thing to do anyway. The board edges can be gang sanded in groups 4-6" wide while held together on their edges with Jorgensen wood clamps, and should be pretty stable while sanding.
    I've seen many comments suggesting the use of the Minwax product or Varathane and I think I am leaning this way if either of these will hold up well without needing to retreat every year. Still reading up on this part, but I appreciate all your ideas. Thanks
    And I apologize for the double post(s). Don't know how that happened, and I don't seem to be able to edit them myself.
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
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    Sounds like you are on the right track.
    Don't worry about the double posts, happens all the time.
    Of course, it depends on your exposure, but the min-wax should not need re-finishing more than every two years. That is pretty easy though, all you have to do is a light sanding job and recoat, probably just the top.
    A word of caution. You mentioned a belt sander. If you are not an experienced woodworker go with a random orbital sander. Belt sanders can do a lot of damage very quickly. I have been a woodworker for many years and I don't even own a belt sander. B)

    Capt Frank
    Homosassa, FL
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  • Cruzr
    Cruzr Posts: 91
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    Tried the most aggressive stripper I could find, all it did was eat holes in the recommended plastic scraper(s).

    Belt sander took the paint off in minutes. Finished sanding off the paint on both sides of the top in an hour and a half after dinner last night. The smallest pieces on the corners of the cut out for the Egg were the worst. Might have bought a new piece for the reason you mentioned, but its tiny and can be taken out of one of the flats that were underneath the table at the ends. If the weather will cooperate, should have the table down to bare wood this week.

    Might go look at the random orbital sander, though. It should be a lot easier to use, too. A person can never have enough tools can they? ;)

    Thanks for your help,
    Bryan
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