Wax removal
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Wax removal
Have made a mess of a frame and desperately need some advice...
I have a flat matt white frame, a few inches wide, and have managed to leave a shiny patch where I used white retouch cream to touch up a corner and wiped of the excess with a rag.
is there any way I can salvage this? Perhaps I should just give the whole thing a going over with some wire wool and paint the bloomin' thing?
Thanks
Calico
I have a flat matt white frame, a few inches wide, and have managed to leave a shiny patch where I used white retouch cream to touch up a corner and wiped of the excess with a rag.
is there any way I can salvage this? Perhaps I should just give the whole thing a going over with some wire wool and paint the bloomin' thing?
Thanks
Calico
Re: Wax removal
have you tried lighter fluid that will clean off any remaining wax, but if it is the paint layer which has buffed you will have no chance, bar buffing up the whole frame.
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Re: Wax removal
will have to try it - nothing to lose at this stage. and if it comes to buffing the whole frame, i'll try that too - my only saving grace is that the customer, a French banker, wasn't interested in my proposals for the piece - just said "mek eet beeutifool" - so if I present a shiny white frame, it may be ok.
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Re: Wax removal
maybe a little gental heat from a hairdryer to soften it may work.... not in conjunction with lighter fluid though...
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Re: Wax removal
au contraire - lighter fluid plus heat might be the only viable way forward for this disaster!
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Re: Wax removal
no, but seriously folks, what should I have done to avoid this problem - I've got a matt white frame which needs touching up, was white retouch cream the way to do? a different product? a different method?
thanks
Calico
thanks
Calico
Re: Wax removal
Same with all 'matt' mouldings. Once you polish it, you can't un-polish it back to the original surface. This makes filling any gaps in the corners a no-no. The only way is to not have a gap.
Not very helpful I know. Put that moulding on the PITA list.
Not very helpful I know. Put that moulding on the PITA list.
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Re: Wax removal
Choose your white mouldings very carefully as they always show the joins more than any colour.CalicoFraming wrote:no, but seriously folks, what should I have done to avoid this problem - I've got a matt white frame which needs touching up, was white retouch cream the way to do? a different product? a different method?
thanks
Calico
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Re: Wax removal
thanks guys, brutal advice, but invaluable
think I'm going to get a bare wood profile and paint it myself - any advice on achieving a nice finish?
think I'm going to get a bare wood profile and paint it myself - any advice on achieving a nice finish?
- Gesso&Bole
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Re: Wax removal
For white, I like to use white acrylic paint, and then finish with liming wax. Sometimes I use 2 slightly different off white paints, and create a bit of texture, showing a bit of each colour, and then liming wax. This way little marks, finger-marks etc are less conspicuous.
Of course that is going to be a little shiny . . . . .
Of course that is going to be a little shiny . . . . .
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Re: Wax removal
Acetone is the best for removing wax but could remove the paint but will leave it clean enough to be re painted! I fined that thin shellac and pigment is the best for touching up you can control the shine by thinning the shellac if you want it really Matt and a little calcium carbonate this works really well!
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Re: Wax removal
Acetone is a very strong solvent. It will certainly remove the wax, but it won't take long to remove the paint either!
It might be a good idea to dilute the acetone which a less agressive solvent. that way you can control the effect according to the ratio of the two solvents.
It might be a good idea to dilute the acetone which a less agressive solvent. that way you can control the effect according to the ratio of the two solvents.
Mark Lacey
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Re: Wax removal
Thanks for the advice re. acetone. In fact, I rang Liberon who weren't sure but suggested white spirit, and not only has it removed the excess wax, it's returned it to a matt finish as well!
Still planning to paint the whole thing though. My source of this whole problem in the first place was the thick layer of gesso chipping away at the mere mention of a Morso blade, so I'm going to sand down the rough edges, fill with wood filler, then overpaint the lot. Tried a sample using water-based undercoat and the finish is fantastic - near as damn it perfectly even and totally matt. In light of all this have also promised myself that hand finishing is a skill I have to pick up - it seems so much less hassle to be able to cut and join, repair if necessary, then finish afterwards, and even just putting a coat of paint on felt so much more satisfying than dealing with the manufactured gesso coating.
Just one question - what's a good way to protect a painted finish - I know I can use wax, but was also wondering about varnishes, etc. Any suggestions?
thanks so much
Calico
Still planning to paint the whole thing though. My source of this whole problem in the first place was the thick layer of gesso chipping away at the mere mention of a Morso blade, so I'm going to sand down the rough edges, fill with wood filler, then overpaint the lot. Tried a sample using water-based undercoat and the finish is fantastic - near as damn it perfectly even and totally matt. In light of all this have also promised myself that hand finishing is a skill I have to pick up - it seems so much less hassle to be able to cut and join, repair if necessary, then finish afterwards, and even just putting a coat of paint on felt so much more satisfying than dealing with the manufactured gesso coating.
Just one question - what's a good way to protect a painted finish - I know I can use wax, but was also wondering about varnishes, etc. Any suggestions?
thanks so much
Calico
- Gesso&Bole
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Re: Wax removal
The problem you will have David, is that if the frame is how you want it now, any finish you put on will change the look.
My personal preference is for wax, because I find it difficult to get the finish I want with varnish or acrylic. The Renaissance wax in particular is a favourite.
My personal preference is for wax, because I find it difficult to get the finish I want with varnish or acrylic. The Renaissance wax in particular is a favourite.
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Re: Wax removal
I you use acrylic paint, you don't really need to varnish it for protection. It is quite tough. Acrylic varnish is basically clear paint, so it will add a bit of gloss to the finish but a wax polish is really all that's needed.
Mouldings with a overall flat colour are a pain. Any slight flaw will stick out like a sore thumb and are next to impossible to touch up successfully.
Hand-finishing the same finishes also has the same problems. Try painting a frame flat white. You need coats and coats to get a satisfactory result. But at least you can fix dings and scrapes perfectly.
Spraying is a better option for flat colours. If you have the kit and the space.
Speaking of which..... There are some cheapo mouldings that make an excellent base for cellulose (car) paints. No heavy prep - just de-grease the surface and put on a couple of light coats. I used loads of the good ol' black cushion like this at one time. The solvent etches into the surface and gives a very good bond. The metallic finishes look very classy. Doesn't work on all mouldings though. Try and see is the key.
The beauty is, you can cut and join the frame before spraying. It matters not if big chunks get chipped off the corners - make good with filler and sand down and after spraying for perfect corners. This would probably take less time than arsing about touching up corners on a pre-finished moulding.
If the frame gets a scrape ( the finish is surprisingly durable) then it can be resprayed. Maybe not worth it on a little frame, but on a big one it could save ££££s
Not everybody's cup of tea. If you were doing a lot of frames a dedicated spray area would be needed. Overspray gets everywhere. Spray cans are OK for doing a few frames now and then, but ideally you need to source the paint in tins from an auto paint supplier and get a spraygun. (and compressor - although most framers probably have one and if you haven't you don't need a big one).
Mouldings with a overall flat colour are a pain. Any slight flaw will stick out like a sore thumb and are next to impossible to touch up successfully.
Hand-finishing the same finishes also has the same problems. Try painting a frame flat white. You need coats and coats to get a satisfactory result. But at least you can fix dings and scrapes perfectly.
Spraying is a better option for flat colours. If you have the kit and the space.
Speaking of which..... There are some cheapo mouldings that make an excellent base for cellulose (car) paints. No heavy prep - just de-grease the surface and put on a couple of light coats. I used loads of the good ol' black cushion like this at one time. The solvent etches into the surface and gives a very good bond. The metallic finishes look very classy. Doesn't work on all mouldings though. Try and see is the key.
The beauty is, you can cut and join the frame before spraying. It matters not if big chunks get chipped off the corners - make good with filler and sand down and after spraying for perfect corners. This would probably take less time than arsing about touching up corners on a pre-finished moulding.
If the frame gets a scrape ( the finish is surprisingly durable) then it can be resprayed. Maybe not worth it on a little frame, but on a big one it could save ££££s
Not everybody's cup of tea. If you were doing a lot of frames a dedicated spray area would be needed. Overspray gets everywhere. Spray cans are OK for doing a few frames now and then, but ideally you need to source the paint in tins from an auto paint supplier and get a spraygun. (and compressor - although most framers probably have one and if you haven't you don't need a big one).
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- Gesso&Bole
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Re: Wax removal
All this talk of spray cans, reminds me of a visit to a framer in Bangkok last year
As you can see from the workshop, they use a lot of spray paint. What amazes me is how they get anything done on that workbench! And the plant in the middle . . . . . . . ? Don't ask!Jeremy (Jim) Anderson
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Re: Wax removal
Mmm, that sounds like something useful to know!CalicoFraming wrote:it's returned it to a matt finish as well!
Mark Lacey
“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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Re: Wax removal
That looks familiarGesso&Bole wrote:All this talk of spray cans, reminds me of a visit to a framer in Bangkok last yearAs you can see from the workshop, they use a lot of spray paint. What amazes me is how they get anything done on that workbench! And the plant in the middle . . . . . . . ? Don't ask!
Actually that is tidier than mine.