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Any French Polishers on here or know anything about French Polishing


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Having won the GVRS Tractor Challenge Shield for pre 1951 tractors 6 times the shield was so so I asked the organisers if I could keep this one and donate a new one. Also not they said to use the back so I must abide by their decisions. Yesterday I had to remove various trophy engravers labels from the back and well what better to use than steam from a kettle. It seemed a good idea at the time and it removed the stickers but as also whitened the lacquer that was on the wood.

I tried rubbing up with teak oil but to no avail. I next thought is to remove the stand and sand down the back with a sander....then rub up with teak oil. I have down this with a pine dresser and worked with that. Anyone any other ideas?

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Button Polish is the better option as it does give a polish where teak oil is designed NOT to. Button polish, like french polish, is linseed based and you apply it in a similar fashion with a "button" - a wad of cotton wool wrapped in cloth.

I have used button polish successfully

Edited by Leakeyvale
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Good luck with your restoration, Bill. I have used button polish to restore badly damaged furniture - a table that someone used as an ironing board and was going to be consigned to a skip! Came up a treat although it did take time. Look forward to seeing the finished product

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I'll try my best Sue....I love restoration projects...although most of my tractor ones have taken years...but I need to return this shield by the 1st Sunday in August 2013 so I had better get going as soon as I get delivery of my "buttton" polish ;D ;D

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I'll try my best Sue....I love restoration projects...although most of my tractor ones have taken years...but I need to return this shield by the 1st Sunday in August 2013 so I had better get going as soon as I get delivery of my "buttton" polish ;D ;D

It won't take you that long! My table needed the entire top to be stripped of all the old polish and wax first and then needed several coats of button polish which needed time to dry between coats.

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Well predicable I suppose Barry...I'm just trying to work out when and where and over how many days I will sell my collections.......might come sooner than planned given I and my boss and four others were told at the end of August our jobs were being transitioned to Dubai.....but hey ho when one door closes another usually opens and well I don't care since we are all passing through this world and well tomorrow I collect a brand new motor so tonight I'm like a kid waiting for Santa to come...I must remember to lay out a carrot and piece of cake and well a dram for Santa ;D ;D

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Out with the old in with the new Barry...well if anyone else but you and me I suppose I could ...maybe BC's cars through the years would be more appropriate :huh: :huh: ..I would have a collection of photos of all my cars through the years ;D ;D

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The button polished arrived so today I sanded the shield and the stand and applied the first coat as directed by the instructions. It going to be lighter coloured on the back but that does not bother me. What bothers me I have not spent enough time sanding the stand so I'm going to put it in the airing cupboard to dry and take it back down to the bare wood again tomorrow since it will not look right.

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I have always given a light sanding (finest quality finishing sandpaper) in between coats in any case. Then used a lot of good old-fashioned elbow-grease buffing it after the last coat has dried properly. Personally I would not put it in the airing cupboard but let is dry naturally with air circulating. You could end up with a sticky finish if the airing cupboard is too hot.

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