Hey Woodworkers/refinishers....OK, Video of my Mom getting her present is up on pg. 6

[bcpballer64]

Ill just re iterate. Be easy and I would start on the bottom. Its going to be super easy to guage the wood and that is very hard to fix. I would be hesitant to use anything other than a plastic scraper. And I wouldnt go below 120 on sand paper.

[gally]

why not just sand off the color and then repaint it again?

[bcpballer64]

why not just sand off the color and then repaint it again?

The beauty of the grain man! Gotta see that natural wood finish!

Im just kidding the op didnt say one way or the other about the final finish lol

[gally]

why not just sand off the color and then repaint it again?

The beauty of the grain man! Gotta see that natural wood finish!

Im just kidding the op didnt say one way or the other about the final finish lol

for doors like they were 20 years or older...i just sanded them and then repainted them...also did some detailed work on em

gonna show some pics of the finished product if i find em

[big dee]

Do you have any pics of the trunk?

[big dee]

Have you thought about simply preserving it in its current condition?

[Dwn4BassAlan]

Pictures are a must, but as far as restoring I'll try to backup what has been said an add anything I can think of.

While some people say it doesn't matter, I prefer to avoid chemicals when restoring antiques. Different story for newer things, or building where longevity and strength are key. But either way, I would suggest chipping/sanding the old paint off. If it's as old as you said, I will 100% guarantee there is some lead paint on there somewhere, the mask is $45 at home depot. But there is a cheaper one that also does it, if you don't care as much about the fumigation filtration level.

The farther in you get, the softer the wood will be, so be very careful the more you remove, I always find myself grazing it with things that leave scratches or dents in near-bare to bare wood ridiculously easily. (Even a cardboard box dented a door I was working on once) Don't over-sand it though, I would suggest up to 240 probably. If it has belts/brackets on it, remove them if you can without damaging it, otherwise you will need to dedicate a little more time and effort to get a clean sand around them

Depending on how you want the final product we can give you advice but let us know if you plan on going towards a painted box or a stained finish. Personally I love stained, but depending on what the thing looks like or is intended for, it's obviously up to you.

[Mtnbikecrazy55]

Hey Journeyman Cabinet Maker here. Be extra careful sanding Cedar the dust is caustic. Remove any ornamentals such as the straps locks lather straps if it has them. Use a marine paint remover you can get this from Sherwin Williams' etc. On the final sand use around 150 grit you do not want to go above or you will polish the wood and it will not accept stain or top coat. I wood use Danish Oil or Watco Oil for the top coat. It is what a lot of antiques have on them. Varnish will turn orange over time. Watch leaving the rags bundle up in trash can cause flash fire. The rags will get hot when drying hang outside to dry before throwing away. Sand with 220 between coats of the top coat. If you want to use a sealer get Vinyl Sanding sealer from SW also. This is a lacquer based product. Then top coat. The oils will take a couple days to dry or you can use lacquer base top coat also from SW. Ant question let me know. been doing woodworking since I was 16 years old. 34 years now.

Watch when you use heat that you don't gouge the chest, with scrapers.

Do not use Forbys or Min wax they are toys from Home Depot etc. Go to SW for supplies.

This guy knows what's up, only thing I want to reiterate is make sure not to gouge the wood, cedar is way soft

[David Bailey]

Ok, I;m gonna have to go over there when my mom is gone, and "steal" the trunk and take it to my place. She never goes in my dad's shed, so she won't know. Once I get it to my house, I will take some pics. She said it is Cedar, so I am hoping to remove all the old paint, then sand it down and finish it back to a natural wood grain finish. I will post pics hopefully by this weekend. And starting on the bottom is what I was thinking anyway, so I can kinda figure out as I go how gentle I will have to be.

[Dwn4BassAlan]

Ok, I;m gonna have to go over there when my mom is gone, and "steal" the trunk and take it to my place. She never goes in my dad's shed, so she won't know. Once I get it to my house, I will take some pics. She said it is Cedar, so I am hoping to remove all the old paint, then sand it down and finish it back to a natural wood grain finish. I will post pics hopefully by this weekend. And starting on the bottom is what I was thinking anyway, so I can kinda figure out as I go how gentle I will have to be.

I would use an SW oil over a varnish then. Make sure to sand evenly between coats, that seems to be what most people have a problem with, so their coats are uneven and it can make color vary around the trunk. Someone said something about a vinyl sanding sealer, normally you will see the separate vinyl sealer and sanding sealer. Your vinyl’s are normally a copolymer of vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate. Sometimes they are offered as a nitro/vinyl mixture for quicker drying and increased hardness. Some are also made with sanding aids for easier sanding, but not as easy as nitro sanding sealer. In use under nitro lacquer/acrylic/or other evaporative finishes they give increased water resistance and are normally recommended when used there or in other high humidity/wet areas. If used under cat finishes it is recommended to use a type that is copolymerized with a small amount of alkyd amino resins because the acid catalyst may attack a non catalyzed vinyl sealer. I have personally found vinyl sealers to give a more clear finish than the sanding ones, but the sanding ones are typically easier to work with.