Thomas Moser Table Finish

[Shellac1]

I have a Thomas Moser Table & 6 Chairs to work on. I am going to need to
refinish the top of only the table. Oil finishes are NOT my forte, so does
anyone have any words of wisdom? I know how it was done, by Moser, but I
need to work on the color, than finish it. I am actually needing to repair
this top, only because of the wax that he used, went white. The set is
about 15 years old. Thanks for the "constructive" input, JHC

[Michael D. Sullivan]

I'd suggest not trying to "work on the color" unless absolutely
necessary. Moser tabletops are unstained cherry with a linseed oil or
"Danish oil" finish. If the only problem is that the wax "went white,"
clean off the wax with mineral spirits and rewax. You should do this
every few years anyway. If you have to sand significantly in one
section (e.g., to minimize a black water spot), you will need to re-oil
the top. Since the sanded area will be a bit lighter than the rest of
the tabletop for a while, you can use a lightly tinted Danish oil to add
some color; it will penetrate more in the sanded area, leaving more
color where needed. I have used a "golden oak" danish oil for this with
some success, but other *moderately* tinted oils will also work. Don't
try to use a "dark cherry" oil, because it will over-darken the rest of
the tabletop.

--

-- Michael D. Sullivan, Bethesda, Md., USA
-- Email: <m...@access.digex.net>, <avog...@well.com>

[JjakeCloud]

Does the table have any leaves? If YES, have they also turned? To match
the natural color, you may want to set it ouside on sunny days, or I've
used UV lamps indoors. This is time consuming, but the end result is well
worth the effort! Good luck. JHC