I have a 1988 O'Day 302 and need to refinish the cabin sole. I know from previous posts here that Ultimate Sole is a good choice for the final coat. My question is: is there a recommendation for a good, relatively non-messy stripper to get to the bare wood veneer? I've learned from Rudy at D&R that the floor was fastened to the hull stringers with 5200 -- I'm not even thinking of trying to undo that! So, except for the center pieces that are screwed down, I'll need to do most of the work on the boat this spring. I did bring the bilge cover section home before closing up the boat for the winter and have that piece to experiment with. The sole is plywood with a thin veneer of teak/holly. So heavy sanding is not an option -- the veneer appears to be very thin. The original finish doesn't appear to be very thick. In the places where water was allowed to drip by the PO, there's some delamination of the original finish -- it appears to be some sort of plasticized finish -- maybe a form of polyurethane? Has anyone used a good non-lethal, fast acting, relatively simple, non-messy stripper? Or am I asking for the moon? Thanks in advance for your experience and ideas.
Refinishing Cabin Sole - Stripper?
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I have a 1988 O'Day 302 and need to refinish the cabin sole. I know from previous posts here that Ultimate Sole is a good choice for the final coat. My question is: is there a recommendation for a good, relatively non-messy stripper to get to the bare wood veneer? I've learned from Rudy at D&R that the floor was fastened to the hull stringers with 5200 -- I'm not even thinking of trying to undo that! So, except for the center pieces that are screwed down, I'll need to do most of the work on the boat this spring. I did bring the bilge cover section home before closing up the boat for the winter and have that piece to experiment with. The sole is plywood with a thin veneer of teak/holly. So heavy sanding is not an option -- the veneer appears to be very thin. The original finish doesn't appear to be very thick. In the places where water was allowed to drip by the PO, there's some delamination of the original finish -- it appears to be some sort of plasticized finish -- maybe a form of polyurethane? Has anyone used a good non-lethal, fast acting, relatively simple, non-messy stripper? Or am I asking for the moon? Thanks in advance for your experience and ideas.
Stripper
I redid the cabin sole in my O'Day 322 many years ago and used a citrus based stipper that I bought at Home Depot. Brush it on, let it sit for a while, then remove the jelly-like lifted finish with a putty knife. As I remember, the stipper was not very expensive, was non-toxic, and did not smell bad. Rudy is correct about the sole being glued down but O'Day did not use much glue. A few years after refinishing the sole I had to replace it due to water damage caused by a burst engine raw water inlet hose. Using a long prybar and a lot of patience I was able to remove the old sole sections intact enough to use as patterns for new pieces - I screwed the new ones down.
I redid the cabin sole in my O'Day 322 many years ago and used a citrus based stipper that I bought at Home Depot. Brush it on, let it sit for a while, then remove the jelly-like lifted finish with a putty knife. As I remember, the stipper was not very expensive, was non-toxic, and did not smell bad. Rudy is correct about the sole being glued down but O'Day did not use much glue. A few years after refinishing the sole I had to replace it due to water damage caused by a burst engine raw water inlet hose. Using a long prybar and a lot of patience I was able to remove the old sole sections intact enough to use as patterns for new pieces - I screwed the new ones down.
Stripper
I redid the cabin sole in my O'Day 322 many years ago and used a citrus based stipper that I bought at Home Depot. Brush it on, let it sit for a while, then remove the jelly-like lifted finish with a putty knife. As I remember, the stipper was not very expensive, was non-toxic, and did not smell bad. Rudy is correct about the sole being glued down but O'Day did not use much glue. A few years after refinishing the sole I had to replace it due to water damage caused by a burst engine raw water inlet hose. Using a long prybar and a lot of patience I was able to remove the old sole sections intact enough to use as patterns for new pieces - I screwed the new ones down.
I redid the cabin sole in my O'Day 322 many years ago and used a citrus based stipper that I bought at Home Depot. Brush it on, let it sit for a while, then remove the jelly-like lifted finish with a putty knife. As I remember, the stipper was not very expensive, was non-toxic, and did not smell bad. Rudy is correct about the sole being glued down but O'Day did not use much glue. A few years after refinishing the sole I had to replace it due to water damage caused by a burst engine raw water inlet hose. Using a long prybar and a lot of patience I was able to remove the old sole sections intact enough to use as patterns for new pieces - I screwed the new ones down.
Good Non-lethal?
Thats asking for a lot. You want something to disolve old varnish and poly, dont know of anything that will be good and also non-lethal. Unfortunately, the only stuff I know of that is good is also very lethal. I had a custom woodworking busines many years ago and we did some refinishing. The main ingredient in stripper was metahine chloride. I bought the industrial stuff by the drum. Maybe you can go to a local refinishing shop and buy a gallon from them. I had people buy some from me. One of the key elements in stripping is the temp. When it was cold, you could swim in the stripper. When it was warm, the vapors would burn your skin. Fortunately, the stripper is very water soluable so all you had to do is wash it off. Im sure that if you bought the Walmart grade it would probably still do what you want it to if kept warm. Note that most Methaline Chloride will boil at about 100* so dont over heat it, just keep in a warm place. And keep in mind that this stuff will literally knock you out if inhaled. Wear a vapor respirator, eye protection and DEFINATELY HAVE A FAN AND PROPER VENTILLATION. Maybe someone else can chime in with a newer technology. Tony B
Thats asking for a lot. You want something to disolve old varnish and poly, dont know of anything that will be good and also non-lethal. Unfortunately, the only stuff I know of that is good is also very lethal. I had a custom woodworking busines many years ago and we did some refinishing. The main ingredient in stripper was metahine chloride. I bought the industrial stuff by the drum. Maybe you can go to a local refinishing shop and buy a gallon from them. I had people buy some from me. One of the key elements in stripping is the temp. When it was cold, you could swim in the stripper. When it was warm, the vapors would burn your skin. Fortunately, the stripper is very water soluable so all you had to do is wash it off. Im sure that if you bought the Walmart grade it would probably still do what you want it to if kept warm. Note that most Methaline Chloride will boil at about 100* so dont over heat it, just keep in a warm place. And keep in mind that this stuff will literally knock you out if inhaled. Wear a vapor respirator, eye protection and DEFINATELY HAVE A FAN AND PROPER VENTILLATION. Maybe someone else can chime in with a newer technology. Tony B
Good Non-lethal?
Thats asking for a lot. You want something to disolve old varnish and poly, dont know of anything that will be good and also non-lethal. Unfortunately, the only stuff I know of that is good is also very lethal. I had a custom woodworking busines many years ago and we did some refinishing. The main ingredient in stripper was metahine chloride. I bought the industrial stuff by the drum. Maybe you can go to a local refinishing shop and buy a gallon from them. I had people buy some from me. One of the key elements in stripping is the temp. When it was cold, you could swim in the stripper. When it was warm, the vapors would burn your skin. Fortunately, the stripper is very water soluable so all you had to do is wash it off. Im sure that if you bought the Walmart grade it would probably still do what you want it to if kept warm. Note that most Methaline Chloride will boil at about 100* so dont over heat it, just keep in a warm place. And keep in mind that this stuff will literally knock you out if inhaled. Wear a vapor respirator, eye protection and DEFINATELY HAVE A FAN AND PROPER VENTILLATION. Maybe someone else can chime in with a newer technology. Tony B
Thats asking for a lot. You want something to disolve old varnish and poly, dont know of anything that will be good and also non-lethal. Unfortunately, the only stuff I know of that is good is also very lethal. I had a custom woodworking busines many years ago and we did some refinishing. The main ingredient in stripper was metahine chloride. I bought the industrial stuff by the drum. Maybe you can go to a local refinishing shop and buy a gallon from them. I had people buy some from me. One of the key elements in stripping is the temp. When it was cold, you could swim in the stripper. When it was warm, the vapors would burn your skin. Fortunately, the stripper is very water soluable so all you had to do is wash it off. Im sure that if you bought the Walmart grade it would probably still do what you want it to if kept warm. Note that most Methaline Chloride will boil at about 100* so dont over heat it, just keep in a warm place. And keep in mind that this stuff will literally knock you out if inhaled. Wear a vapor respirator, eye protection and DEFINATELY HAVE A FAN AND PROPER VENTILLATION. Maybe someone else can chime in with a newer technology. Tony B
In the last paragraph you wrote
"Has anyone used a good non-lethal, fast acting, relatively simple, non-messy stripper? Or am I asking for the moon? Thanks in advance for your experience and ideas. " Those terms don't come in the same products and non-messy doesn't come with any of them. The least harmful to people are some what slower than the solvent based strippers. They are all messy but can be controlled. Use freezer paper and masking tape to protect the places you want to keep clean. Use two putty knives, one to scrape up the old finish and the other to scrape the glop off the first. Have a bucket at hand, wear gloves and clothes that you aren't too fond of. Check your shoe soles before you leave the work area. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE CAN!!
"Has anyone used a good non-lethal, fast acting, relatively simple, non-messy stripper? Or am I asking for the moon? Thanks in advance for your experience and ideas. " Those terms don't come in the same products and non-messy doesn't come with any of them. The least harmful to people are some what slower than the solvent based strippers. They are all messy but can be controlled. Use freezer paper and masking tape to protect the places you want to keep clean. Use two putty knives, one to scrape up the old finish and the other to scrape the glop off the first. Have a bucket at hand, wear gloves and clothes that you aren't too fond of. Check your shoe soles before you leave the work area. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE CAN!!
In the last paragraph you wrote
"Has anyone used a good non-lethal, fast acting, relatively simple, non-messy stripper? Or am I asking for the moon? Thanks in advance for your experience and ideas. " Those terms don't come in the same products and non-messy doesn't come with any of them. The least harmful to people are some what slower than the solvent based strippers. They are all messy but can be controlled. Use freezer paper and masking tape to protect the places you want to keep clean. Use two putty knives, one to scrape up the old finish and the other to scrape the glop off the first. Have a bucket at hand, wear gloves and clothes that you aren't too fond of. Check your shoe soles before you leave the work area. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE CAN!!
"Has anyone used a good non-lethal, fast acting, relatively simple, non-messy stripper? Or am I asking for the moon? Thanks in advance for your experience and ideas. " Those terms don't come in the same products and non-messy doesn't come with any of them. The least harmful to people are some what slower than the solvent based strippers. They are all messy but can be controlled. Use freezer paper and masking tape to protect the places you want to keep clean. Use two putty knives, one to scrape up the old finish and the other to scrape the glop off the first. Have a bucket at hand, wear gloves and clothes that you aren't too fond of. Check your shoe soles before you leave the work area. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE CAN!!
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