How do you remove a beeswax finish?

[Mollywood]

Hi all,
Haven't been around for a while, so I hope everyone is having a good new year.

Not a fine furniture question, but I hope someone can help.
I'm watching a pine desk on ebay and it has a beeswax finish on it.
I want to stain the desk to match one we already have, so I wonder if it is possible to remove the beeswax thoroughly enough for the stain to take.

Thanks,
Molly.

[Mollywood]

Anyone got any idea?

[Sprog]

Anyone got any idea?

Turps or white spirits.

[Mollywood]

Thankyou sprog.

[son_of_bluegras]

I've not had much luck with turp dissolving beeswax, I think it takes way too much to get it all. I don't work with mineral spirits often, so I can't speak to that.
I would start with heat and a rag if it is just wax to remove the bulk then move to either solvents or sandpaper.

ron.

[ubeaut]

G'day Molly - Generous amounts of turpentine, worked well with steel wool (medium to finer grade - not too course) and lots of clean absorbent rag.

Heat will help if the wax is over a finish but if it's on the raw timber it will only drive it deeper into the timber.

Cheers - Neil

[Colourland]

you should actually be using Pure Gum Turpentine - not Mineral Turpentine.

It is what I have been selling for removal of it for some years now and always works.

It will still require lots of "elbow grease" but it is what it is sold for - liquifying waxes and turning a wax into a polish.

[ubeaut]

Mineral turpentine will remove the wax at the same rate the pure gum turpentine will.

However..... and this is a big however. Mineral turpentine is much safer health wise to use than gum turps. It is also a lot cheaper and more readily available.

If you use pure gum turpentine don't get any on your skin and do it in a really well ventilated area. Gum turpentine is the reason why many artists of old were more than a bit ratty. It causes brain problems and prolonged exposure can cause kidney failure if absorbed through the pores of the skin .

If you have skin, lung (asthma etc), liver or kidney problems you should avoid using pure gum turpentine.

More than likely the wax was made with mineral turpentine or white spirit as the solvent rather than gum turps, especially if it were home made. This has no bearing what so ever on the removal of the wax just a general comment/observation.

In the removal of wax you need to really pour the turps on, using copious amounts of gum turps isn't really a good idea because of the health hazards attached.

Signs and symptoms of exposure to this material through vapours, breathing, and/or passage of the material through the skin may include:

eye irritation, conjunctivitis or corneal burns, irritation to (nose, throat, airways), central nervous system, depression (dizziness, drowsiness, weakness, fatigue, nausea, headache, unconsciousness), bladder or kidney damage, and death

Cheers - Neil

[soundman]

Remember this is a board of australian origin and when we say turps we generaly mean mineral turps...what I believe the americans would call mineral spirits.

you may find white spirit marginaly better......it evaporates cleanly and does not have the oily content that mineral turps has.....

Thus it is less likely to contaminate the surface, will evaporate more quickly & cleanly and may have a marginaly better solvent action and ability to hold the wax in solution.

cheers

[Horsecroft88]

I guess that perhaps the other thing to clarify is whether or not when you say the surface of the pine desk has been bees waxed polish, is what the actual surface finish is.

For instance, if it is an old piece it may actually have a shellac finish with bees wax coating to provide a lustre. If this were the case, then Mineral Turps in fact would not be of any use and instead Metho and steel wool, or if necessary, even paint stripper to get back to the bare surface would be far more effective.

[soundman]

Well see that also depends on what you want to remove....if you just want to remove the wax turps or white spirit is still the go...because that should leave shelac more or less in tact.

In fact if you want to strip quite a few other thinks you would be best removing the wax with turps or white spirit and then addressing the underlying coating seperately

If you were realy gung ho.....using some sort of hydrocarbon alcahol brew... it laquer thinners would be appropriate......but you are talking different approaches and goals.

cheers

[Saskatoon]

Neil's warning about gum turps should be heeded. Note that other similar solvents can be absorbed through the skin as well as the lungs.
For example this quote:
"White spirit is mainly classed as an irritant.
White spirit has a fairly low acute toxicity by inhalation of the vapour, dermal (touching the skin) and oral routes (ingestion). However, acute exposure can lead to central nervous system depression resulting in lack of coordination and slowed reactions. Exposure to very high concentrations in enclosed spaces can lead to general narcotic effects (drowsiness, dizziness, nausea etc...) and can eventually lead to unconsciousness. Oral ingestion presents a high aspiration hazard. Prolonged or repeated skin exposure over a long period of time can result in severe irritant dermatitis, also called contact dermatitis. It is highly recommended that skin exposure is kept to a minimum by use of gloves and that hands are washed after coming into contact with it. Occasional exposure to skin is highly unlikely to cause any problems.
Exposure to an average white spirit concentration of 240 mg/m3 (40 ppm) for more than 13 years could lead to chronic central nervous system effects. White spirit is implicated in the development of "chronic toxic encephalopathy" among house painters.
Owing to the volatility and low bioavailability of its constituents, white spirit, although it is moderately toxic to aquatic organisms, is unlikely to present significant hazards to the environment. It should not however, be purposely poured down the sink or freshwater drain if avoidable. It should be disposed of correctly wherever possible."

[soundman]

seriously almost all solvents and finish products we use will have similar or related effects to those listed in the post above...when in similar exposures..

Almost all will be absorbed thru the skin.

White spirits and turps ( mineral spirits)......are among the safer and least toxic solvents we use...and very much safer than " natural turps".

cheers

[les88]

I used Vodka on a polished table top and it seems to have removed all the previous waxes
but I had better check the table again tomorrow when its sober.
les

[China]

I hope it wasn't the $40 per bottle stuff