# Need advice on refinishing a whiskey barrel top



## auera215 (Mar 9, 2015)

Let me start off with this…. I am not a wood worker so I don't know much. I am trying to figure out what I need to do for this project. I want to clean it up and hopefully make it look as close to good as new I can get.

As you can see in the picture there is glue all over the top and sides. I am trying to figure out the best way to remove that, while keeping the words on there. The date on it is the most important item on there, it is my parents wedding date and would love for that to not get ruined. Any help would be much appreciated!


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## bobkberg (Dec 26, 2009)

This is a tough one - since you want the printing. If this were my project, I'd try the following:
- Pick a printed area on the barrel that you don't care about that you could fix with a fine-tip marker (like the final Y in WHISKEY).
- Using a Q-tip or small sponge try one after another of the following things and try scrubbing the surface to see if the dirt will come off and leave the printing: (Let dry thoroughly between each experiment)
o Dish soap in hot water
o Paint thinner
o Wood floor cleaner
o Solution of laundry detergent and bleach
o Sudsy Ammonia (Do NOT mix bleach with this - may release poison gas)

Then if the experiment finds a solution that works, I would wash a larger area but still stick to text that you don't care about as much. If that still works well, then do the whole surface, but gently.

Good luck!


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## jumbojack (Mar 20, 2011)

The words, are they burned or merely printed? Do you know what kind of glue it is?


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## auera215 (Mar 9, 2015)

Bobkberg- Thanks! I will give those a try. What do you suggest on the glue?

Jumbojack--The words are just printed on there, as far as the glue I have no clue. It was part of a bar, so I thought it was just wood glue.


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## bobkberg (Dec 26, 2009)

Hi again Auera,

If you have a heat gun (sometimes a hair dryer gets hot enough), and you're careful, you may be able to soften the glue so that it can be scraped off with a putty knife. I would not use a chisel though - that may cut into the surface and lose what you're trying to save.

By the way, there are 3 likely ways that the words got on there:
- Burned
- Printed with ink (Stamped?)
- Paint (Silkscreen? Stencil?)
- Maybe something else.

Regards,


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## jumbojack (Mar 20, 2011)

I like the heat gun to soften the glue idea. I would ha e suggested scrubbing the surface with laundry detergent but if the stuff you want to save is printed I fear it will be scrubbed off as well. Sanding is out. I fear you may have to clean it up best you can and present it.


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