Refinishing a maple box - need advice!

[CarolAnn]

My sister just gave me a lovely maple box with 8 place settings of Roger's silverware that she found for me at an estate sale. I never thought I'd own something like that! The silverware is in excellent condition - but the box is in poor shape. It has spots, scratches and watermarks all over it. However, the dovetail joints look very tight and none of the scratches are deep.

Should I sand it down or use stripper to take off the old finish? I don't want to hurt the glued dovetailed joints - and it's just a flat box so sanding wouldn't be too hard - is that the way to go? I haven't done much wood working, but I'd like to make the box as pretty as what's inside - and not ruin it! Thanks for any tips on this project! I think I'd like to try staining it a bit darker and then put on a water resistant finish - just not sure what! (The wood in the lid is edge-joined pieces of light and dark maple.)

[Sarah]

I know nothing about wood working, but would sanding not destroy the grain you are wanting to preserve?

If not trying to preserve a stained wood look, I always use milk paint. I have several wood pieces so painted, it allows the wood to breathe. And check out Lehmans for their poly wipe on seals, that is where my SO got his to seal up a cedar chest (he is sensitive to it.).

Good luck.

Sarah

[tufhelp]

Sanding would certainly be in the equation since it is scratched and stained. Removing the finish with stripper will not do anything for the scratches and probably nothing for the stains. The grain will not be damaged by sanding, but if it is a veneered surface, care must be taken not to sand through the veneer. If it is solid maple you have nothing to worry about in sanding it. Use finer and finer grades of sand paper; progressing from 100 grit through about 325 should give you a fine enough finish. After sanding remove all dust with a tack cloth. You might consider using tung oil for the finish, if gives that old world hand rubbed finish rather than the shinier polyurethanes used today and will bring out the grain figuring nicely. Here is a link that will outline this process:

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hf_maint_repair/article/0,2037,DIY_13899_2275882,00.html

[CarolAnn]

Thanks much, tufhelp! That's what I'm going to do.

When I get it fixed up, I'll post before and after pictures (unless I MESS it up - then you'll never hear another word about it!) ;)