Finishing and Refinishing

[wesley43207]

I made a blanket chest for my wife. I finished it,inside and out with boiled linseed oil and briwax. I can't get rid of the wax smell on the inside. Can someone tell me how to strip the inside to get rid of the smell and how to refinish it.

                 Thanks,

                                     Dave

As you can tell I am a beginner at this finishing business.

[kmealy]

You are probably smelling the BLO.  Oil-based and oil finishes are poor choices for inside closed areas.   Before stripping,  remove the wax with mineral spirits or naphtha and a lot of clean rangs, then try adding a shellac coat (or two) over the BLO.  Shellac is an excellent odor barrier.  A quick approach is to pick up a fresh can of Bullseye aerosol shellac.  For $6, it can save you a lot of work.

[Howard Acheson]

The above is the way to deal with the problem.  Oils and oil based finishes off-gas almost forever and should never be used on the inside of something that will contain cloth or cloth items or unsealed foodstuffs.

When treating with the shellac be sure to get the underside of the cover.

[wesley43207]

Thanks, I'll give it try.

      Dave