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A few years ago, my youngest was helping me apply Woodcraft end sealer, and she accidently sealed the ends of seasoned bent and thinned mahog. You guessed it-the sealer leached into the wood far enough that I have to, if possible, remove the sealer from the wood entirely so that no lines show when finish is applied. How do I get rid of this stuff
Thanks,

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I wonder if denatured alcohol or some other solvent would work?

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

What is the sealer? And I don't mean the brand name...

If you use anything that will dissolve the wax, it will only wick it more into the wood. The stuff Woodcraft sells is AnchorSeal and is water based. I've never successfully removed it when it's penetrated that deep. I think the only way to remove it is to cut it away.

Rick, it's an emulsion of paraffin in water.

I guess you could try washing repeatedly with naptha or mineral spirits, using fresh solvent and fresh rags. But I suspect Larry is right about never getting rid of it all. I'd guess that you can get enough of it off the surface so that finish will adhere, especially if you seal with shellac, but the discoloration will likely remain. Try some finish on it and see what you get.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

      Triclorethylene, if you can get it, does a wonderful job on all fats and oils, again if you can get it. Triclorethane works but not quite as well.

      It's essentially dry cleaner fluid, Never used it on wood though, so a test is appropriate.

      It's very difficult to find, so much of it's been leaching into ground water, it's mostly been restricted or banned. But it works awesome! It will pull the oils right out of your skin if you come in contact with it, which I strongly recommend, that you don't.

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Thanks guys

Take it to the drycleaners and see what they say.
Maybe that's Stradivarius's secret formula.

Just brainstorming here.

Good luck Bob.

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Horton, MI

The dry cleaner is not such a bad idea. They might actually run it through a machine for you. Another option if one exists where you live is a place that refinishes old brass beds. Some of these have huge vats of stripper that they dip the metal parts into to remove fiish.