Help me great box restoration Gods...

[escuchopeliculas]

Hi guys,

I think this might be my first post but I've been lurking for a couple of years now.

Anyhow, I have a question for you guys that have restored machinist's chests.

I recently picked up a couple of vintage chests. One C-man (50's ish) and a Kennedy. I'm in the process of cleaning them up. On the outside it seems as though the patina is a keeper and will look killer after a bit of rubbing compound. But the problem is the felt that lines the drawers.

The felt is completely trashed. I have no problem relining the drawers but I can't figure out a way to get the old felt out. The C-man chest is easier 'cause the stuff is peeling off. It looks like the felt had some kind of backing or like there was another product in between the felt and the paint. But the Kennedy chest has the felt stuck on good.

It peels off some, but it also pulls the paint with it.

So, any ideas/products to dissolve the glue in the Kennedy chest without killing the paint? I know that it'll be under the felt and no one will know, but I'd love to save the original paint...

Thanks


Some pics:

 

[stricht8]

Perhaps 3M adhesive remover liberally applied and allowed to soak in for a few minutes?

 

[billymade]

You might give "goof off" a try; I used this stuff like crazy when I worked @ a body shop.... takes off adhesive, spray paint.... etc. I would do a test in a inconspicuous area however...
http://www.goof-off.com/

 

[Bull]

WD-40 is cheap enough that I'd start with that. I have used it with good results to remove adhesives before, but whether it will work on that particular type of glue I can't say. Try it in a spot! Let it soak in a while.

 

[Packard V8]

That's an old Kennedy. The felt has been brown for a long, long time.

thnx, jack vines

 

[mkdive]

Ill second the wd40 and maybe a stiff nylon brush of some type.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Hi guys,

I think this might be my first post but I've been lurking for a couple of years now.

Anyhow, I have a question for you guys that have restored machinist's chests.

I recently picked up a couple of vintage chests. One C-man (50's ish) and a Kennedy. I'm in the process of cleaning them up. On the outside it seems as though the patina is a keeper and will look killer after a bit of rubbing compound. But the problem is the felt that lines the drawers.

The felt is completely trashed. I have no problem relining the drawers but I can't figure out a way to get the old felt out. The C-man chest is easier 'cause the stuff is peeling off. It looks like the felt had some kind of backing or like there was another product in between the felt and the paint. But the Kennedy chest has the felt stuck on good.

It peels off some, but it also pulls the paint with it.

So, any ideas/products to dissolve the glue in the Kennedy chest without killing the paint? I know that it'll be under the felt and no one will know, but I'd love to save the original paint...

Thanks

First off, welcome. Wow...lurking for a couple years...you little peeping tom, you!

I restored a Mac box a couple of years ago, where a previous owner had glued green felt in the drawers. First thing I did...very unscientific mind you, was just pour some water in the drawers and let them soak for a few days. I wasn't in any big hurry. That loosened it up some, and then I used a scraper to work on the removing the felt. After I got as much as I could that way, I poured some paint reducer in there, then continued working on it with the scraper...and rubber gloves. That ended up helping me get the rest of the felt out of there. As far as saving the original paint underneath the felt, I don't think that's realistic. Besides, even if you can, it may not be worth saving anyway.

 

[escuchopeliculas]

Thanks guys.

Duh. Water. It's crazy how we automatically try to find the absolute most complicated answer to a problem.

I'll try that first