Replies

1. 
   Piffin | Jun 08, 2009 03:19pm | #1

   acetone will take up some wax for a test.
   Alcohol will take up shellac.

    

    

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   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
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2. 
   alwaysoverbudget | Jun 08, 2009 03:35pm | #2

   i have been in your spot before. wiped with wax remover,hit it with a pad on a sander and polyed it. i have not had good luck. at best i have had 50/50  results.

   seems like the wax gets down in the cracks or something,then the poly peels there. so now i sand down to fresh wood and start over. it's a pain but you won't have to do it again,you will be able to scuff and recoat with poly.

   YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T
   MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE
   DUCT TAPE.

3. 
   frenchy | Jun 08, 2009 03:52pm | #3

   Lockmiter.. Piffin is correct,, if it's shellac  (a really excellant finish by the way)  soak a rag in denatured alcoholand let it sit for a few minutes.. if it's shellac you're in luck.. no sanding required to remove shellac (in fact if you try you'll find out just how tough shellac is)  

     If the finish is shellac you can either remove it or repair it..

     Shellac is wonderful that way it makes invisable repairs even 100 years after it's put down..

     Another words if one or two spots need help remove the old finish with denatured alcohol  (nothing else will work and you can get it at your local hardware store)   and apply fresh shellac.. (very easy to do  ask and I'll take you step by step through it)

     Couple of other points  shellac is safe  you've been eating it all of your life on candy and medicene.

      shellac dries really fast! I mean 15 minutes after the first coat goes down you can walk on it. 

     Shellac is the finest finish there is.   Used on fine violins and valuable antique furniture to bring out the real beauty of the wood.  Perhaps that's why it gets a reputation of being a delicate finish.. it's not.. it's really tough my 150 pound New Fundland hasn't managed to scratch my shellaced floors (and he refuses to clip his toenails) 

     If he did it's really simple to fix because no sanding is required..

     shellac smells like a doctors office when it goes down but that quickly goes away. Leaving the soft sweet smell of shellac which is also gone quickly. 

1. 
   rez | Jun 08, 2009 04:15pm | #4

   Everytime I see a floor finish thread come up I get this mental imagery of  a groundhog standing up on it's hind legs and sniffing the air while it's thinking 'What's that?'.

   Then the imagery changes to a horserace with the starting gun going off and the thoroughbred flying out of the open gate. 

1. 
   HootOwl | Jun 08, 2009 05:17pm | #5

   LOL

1. 
   lockmiter | Jun 09, 2009 02:38am | #6

   It looks like it is a poly finish. none of the tests affected the finish. The wood itself is in fairly decent condition; a few water spots here and there. I guess I am going to scuff the surface and repoly it. Thanks for all the advice guys.

1. 
   EricPaulson | Jun 09, 2009 02:54am | #7

   Dad used Fabulon back in the 50's and 60's.

   Don't know if that helps. It was a bowling alley finish at one time. 

    

   "When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." — Sherlock Holmes, 1896

2. 
   Sphere | Jun 09, 2009 03:11am | #8

   That was some great stuff. I wonder if its still made?Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

   "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

   View Image

3. 
   calvin | Jun 09, 2009 03:13am | #9

   There's a waterbourne Fabulon-doesn't claim to be "bowling alley".  I use it when finishing the few I do.  Good stuff.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   http://www.quittintime.com/

    

4. 
   Sphere | Jun 09, 2009 03:18am | #11

   I inhereted a can ( square gallon) way back when, and used it on a bar top or table I made. I remember being real impressed.

   Never saw it again.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

   "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

   View Image

5. 
   alwaysoverbudget | Jun 09, 2009 03:43am | #12

   thats what i did my floors in 5 years ago on the recommendation of the guys here at bt. seems to work real well so far.only thing i have noticed is i used satin and as it wears it's getting more shine to it.

   they still sell it.

   http://www.essex-silver-line.com/fab.html

    

   it's not as famous as frenchys shellac though............

   YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'TMOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THEDUCT TAPE.

   Edited 6/8/2009 8:44 pm by alwaysoverbudget

6. 
   EricPaulson | Jun 09, 2009 03:18am | #10

   Dad would sand the floors on his hands and kness with a shiny metal PC belt sander.

   Then we would race our Tootsi Toys on the floor and leave black marks.

   Then it was time for the belt to come off! 

    

   "When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." — Sherlock Holmes, 1896

7. 
   BillHartmann | Jun 09, 2009 03:46am | #13

   Yous can still get the original Bowling Alley Finish along with Poly and WB versions.http://www.lewiscontractorsales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=fabulon
   .
   William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe

8. 
   BillHartmann | Jun 09, 2009 04:45am | #14

   Apparently the original is a lacquer base.http://www.woodfloordoctor.com/_product_reviews/articles/lacquerfinishfloorfires.shtmlAnd there is a Pro Line and Consumer line.http://www.the-flooring-connection.com/fabulon_professional_finishes.htmhttp://www.the-flooring-connection.com/fabulon_consumer_products.htmLooking to see who makes it and can't find anything.Found this.Dura Seal / Fabulonhttp://www.arcat.com/arcatcos/cos32/arc32103.htmlBut when you go to the Dura Seal website no mention of Fabulon.According to this it MSDS it is made by P&L. But it is dated 91. And I could not find anything on P&L's website.My guess is that it was sold off and some small speciality company now makes it..
   William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe

9. 
   Sphere | Jun 09, 2009 04:47am | #15

   Thanks for the leg work, I am considering options for my cedar...4 dawgs, ya know.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

   "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

   View Image

10. 
    MrBill | Jun 09, 2009 05:12am | #16

    Dad used Fabulon back in the 50's and 60's.

     

    Eric,

     That brings back memories of the whole house fan running for hours afterwards to keep us from dying from the fumes. Man that was some "bad" stuff !  How did we survive chilhood in the 50's/60's anyway :)

    Bill Koustenis

    Advanced Automotive Machine

    Waldorf Md

    Edited 6/8/2009 10:12 pm ET by MrBill