Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
chalk
Tony Z.
>Quick question: I used chalk to mark various pieces of a bedside table I'm making. Any suggestions as to cleaning the chalk off prior to finishing? Won't wipe off, and I'm not inclined to sanding it out! Any solvent suggestions?
The wood is QS white oak.
Thanks,
Tony Z.
Try mineral spirits
Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA
>
Re: chalk, removal-unnecessary
bill tindall
>Let us hope you used white. The only thing it is soluble in is acids. But, if it is white it need not be removed. As soon as the finish hits it it will disappear. To test, wet with mineral spirits, alcohol or whatever is laying about. If it disappears when "wet" it will disappear when the finish goes on. It all has to do with refractive index matching of the chalk crystals and that which surrounds it; the finish is a closer match than air.
If you used yellow, next time use white. I use white all the time for layout.
OT: I got to write on a real slate board yesterday, a truely Neanderthal experience. The chalk glides on the surface like a very sharp plane across pine. It was very sensual. Well that may be exaggerating a bit, but it was pleasant. Writing on the synthetics is like writing on sandpaper by comparison.
Re: chalk, removal-unnecessary
Tony Z.
>Thanks Bill & Bill--it wasn't white--sort of a pink! It did disappear under alcohol and mineral spirits.