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I finally spent $300 on a high-end infrared paint stripper
Everyone says they're a game changer, but mine just scorched the veneer on a maple dresser. What's a better method for delicate pieces?
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davidkim2mo ago
Remember my neighbor who tried to use a heat gun on his old radio cabinet. He ended up melting the glue and the whole laminate top bubbled up like bad wallpaper. Sometimes the old ways are the best for a reason. I'd listen to Blake about the chemical stripper, even if it's a slow, sticky job. That infrared heat is just too wild for thin veneer.
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samflores1mo ago
Wait, did your neighbor try that on a cabinet that had been in a damp garage for years? That's exactly what happened to my buddy's uncle, he left a radio cabinet in his shed for like a decade and the moisture just made everything worse when he hit it with heat. Chemical stripper sounds like the play here, even if it feels like you're wrestling with a giant slug.
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nguyen.blake2mo ago
What grit did you start with, @paulw53? For maple veneer, I'd go super gentle with a palm sander, maybe 180 grit first to see. A chemical stripper made for fine wood could work better than heat, you just have to be patient with the gooey mess.
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