Denise Ohio
01-29-2009, 6:26 PM
So I have these 100-year-old doors and windows we've installed in our new house. I've been slowly and carefully removing the grime and paint (I use SoyGel and wet sand to keep the dust down, dispose of everything properly, and wear respirator and paper suit), but I was having a heckuva time removing the window putty.
It wasn't acting properly. What I mean is that I had assume that the window putty was a lime and linseed oil mix, and expected it to yield to the SoyGel or some other solvent with little need for my friend, Mr. Scraper. Instead, the putty would reluctantly chip and dust off.
The pieces looked just like opaque shellac. Then I read on here somewhere someone mentioning that windows were often glazed with a shellac-based putty. So yesterday, I set up a little experiment using alcohol (the kind that comes in a can, not the kind that comes in a bottle---I use that for cleaning the insides of martini glasses, ha ha), some paper towels, and a garbage bag. I soaked the towels in the alcohol, lined them along the window putty and covered the whole thing with the plastic bag, and left it overnight.
This morning, I was able to peel off the window putty easily. It was like magic. That should tell you how boring my life is as this was a very exciting result and I actually did a little hop while standing at the work bench.
So, yet again, Creekers have made life---not exactly easier, because easier would just be me buying plastic stuff ---more interesting in a good way. We can continue carefully salvaging and using materials that are not only quite serviceable, but beautiful. So thanks again, you all, for the wit and wisdom and urging us unsuspecting folk into little adventures like this.
Oh, and is Hope's tung oil (the label says it's pure tung oil and nothing else) any good? Our local Coast to Coast has pint bottles on sale.
It wasn't acting properly. What I mean is that I had assume that the window putty was a lime and linseed oil mix, and expected it to yield to the SoyGel or some other solvent with little need for my friend, Mr. Scraper. Instead, the putty would reluctantly chip and dust off.
The pieces looked just like opaque shellac. Then I read on here somewhere someone mentioning that windows were often glazed with a shellac-based putty. So yesterday, I set up a little experiment using alcohol (the kind that comes in a can, not the kind that comes in a bottle---I use that for cleaning the insides of martini glasses, ha ha), some paper towels, and a garbage bag. I soaked the towels in the alcohol, lined them along the window putty and covered the whole thing with the plastic bag, and left it overnight.
This morning, I was able to peel off the window putty easily. It was like magic. That should tell you how boring my life is as this was a very exciting result and I actually did a little hop while standing at the work bench.
So, yet again, Creekers have made life---not exactly easier, because easier would just be me buying plastic stuff ---more interesting in a good way. We can continue carefully salvaging and using materials that are not only quite serviceable, but beautiful. So thanks again, you all, for the wit and wisdom and urging us unsuspecting folk into little adventures like this.
Oh, and is Hope's tung oil (the label says it's pure tung oil and nothing else) any good? Our local Coast to Coast has pint bottles on sale.