Gilders Paste


Mark J

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I used something similar  back in the late 70's when I did part time work at a picture frame shop. There were harder wax versions for filling nail holes and a creamy version to touch up nicks in guilded frames. We used a special polished putty knife on the hard wax and a old tee shirt on the creamy version. Touch ups needed to dry and be buffed then recoated several times to make it blend in. A thick coat took forever to dry.

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It's interesting stuff.  We're trying to use some on a turned bowl, but running into some questions.  According to the instructions and what we've heard it's supposed to be applied on top of any finish coats, to which it's supposed to adhere.  We tried it on top of butcher block conditioner, but even after 24 hours it wouldn't dry.  On bare wood it was dry in an hour.  We're having better luck applying over polyurethane, but it looks like it will need a good 6 to 12 hours to dry.  

I am wondering about the advisability of applying a final coat of polyurethane gel after the gilding has dried.  I think this would look good, but as the gilders stuff is readily reconstituted with paint thinner or turpentine I am concerned this may make the gilding run.

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4 hours ago, wdwerker said:

I used something similar  back in the late 70's when I did part time work at a picture frame shop. There were harder wax versions for filling nail holes and a creamy version to touch up nicks in guilded frames. We used a special polished putty knife on the hard wax and a old tee shirt on the creamy version. Touch ups needed to dry and be buffed then recoated several times to make it blend in. A thick coat took forever to dry.

Where you been??  You been redheadin?

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I can understand why it wont dry over butcher block conditioner its mineral oil yes? As we know, mineral oil takes forever to dry and I wouldn't use it over top of that. 

I would not use a gel topcoat because you have to work that a little more and could remove color. I would brush or spray a topcoat and not over work it. Get the finish on as fast as possible and let it dry. The goal is to seal it down, then build a finish.

-Ace- 

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That's pretty much what the test pieces showed.  Application on top of mineral oil doesn't work, and by extrapolation Tung oil would have to be completely cured (weeks).  

On the other hand it dries and and adheres well over polyurethane.  But even lightly wiping on a top coat of poly disolves the paste.  

You would probably be succesful top coating with a spray laquer or varnish.  As long as you went light, no puddling, I don't think it would run.  

You can go without a top coat, but I don't think it will stand up to a lot of handling.  Still on something like a picture frame or art object the gilders paste can add quite a lot.

 

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