removing stain for new colour

[nickt]

hi all, did a search but no luck..
I want to refinish my warmoth s***t which is stained red with a nitro clear. What's the best way to remove the whole lot, color et al?

I'm guessing sand it, and any grit suggestions would be great.

tia!

 

[Tonar8352]

A duel action (DA)  sander with 320 paper.

 

[jackthehack]

A duel action (DA)  sander with 320 paper.

:icon_thumright: +1, but depending on the thickness of the current finish, you might want to start with #150/#180, then go to #320

 

[dmraco]

It also depends if the actual WOOD was stained or the color is in the clear.  A good 320 should do the trick.  May even want to try 220 to get thru the nitro in quick fashon.  Be careful on the edges.

what are your plans for a refinish??  If paint, there is not as much as a need to get off all the color...just the clear.

 

[nickt]

thanks guys, its a quilted maple top that I stained, then clearcoated. I basically plan to do the same again but a different color. 

 

[jackthehack]

If you stained and then clearcoated, you're better off starting with a coarser grade of sandpaper than the #320 Tonar suggested. While that will work, you need to sand back well into to the quilt maple to get rid of the stain. While the #320 will eventually work, you'll go through many packs of it clogging up getting through all the finish and then the stain/wood.

 

[nickt]

jeez, that stain goes deep! been on 180, and it's still a fairly slow process..

 

[brandonr]

I just went through a horrific experience with a swamp ash body. Same deal. as it turned out I wasn't real wild about the color and sanded the heck out of it. I agree with everybody else. However, one thing to keep in mind is whether you used alcohol based dye or water. Alcohol doesn't penetrate half as mush as water, thus you may want to start with 220. I did mine with 50/50 water to alcohol and it was very deep. Getting the deep scratches out from the 150 grit was almost as much work as removing the dye itself. Oh keep in mind that getting the original color out of the grain is an interesting task as well. When you think you are good, wipe it down with naptha or mineral spirits. You'll find out that you still have a ways to go. Because the hidden dye will surface. As they say, "sand and repeat" until you are happy.