Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Refinishing a pie safe
Q. My daughter is refinishing an old pie safe for her 4-H project. How should we refinish the punched out metal pieces on the doors?
Mark Sproles- Larwill, Indiana
2001
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Q. I saw your question on the web re: finishing a pie safe. I just bought a very early pie safe that is falling apart. All the parts are still on but need help, especially the tins. Did you get any helpful responses last year? Thanks, Carolyn peart- Ashland, Virginia 2002 Q. Last week I purchased an antique pie safe at an estate auction. My question is: How do I "refresh " or "clean" the tin panels in this pie safe? There are a few splotches of paint on several of these panels. Thanks so much in advance. Jacki McGlamoryhomeowner - Kernersville, North Carolina 2004 |
A. A plating jobshop could do tin plating on these for you. Short of that, you can probably strip the paint off with paint thinner without damaging the tin; and with a buffing wheel for your battery-operated drill and soft buffing compound you can probably get it halfway shiny. It is quite inexpensive to get replacement "Pie safe" Tin [affil links].
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004
Multiple threads merged: please forgive chronology errors :-)
Where to buy Tin Inserts for Pie safe?
Q. I have an old pie safe with apparently tin inset pieces in the door. They look fairly beat up, and perhaps rusty. Any suggestions on refinishing or replacing when I refinish the pie safe?
Thanks,
Jo Dyroff- St. Louis, Missouri
2002
Punchable tin for Pie safe?
Q. I'm making a pie safe and want to make the tins look old so far everything I've tried, like putting the tin in bleach to vinegar, hasn't worked. Can some one help Is there a paint? Or is there some other way besides buying old tin. Need help
Paul UrbanHobbyist - Cheraw, South Carolina
2005
A. I think you need to start with real tinplate, Paul. Some people will call galvanized sheet metal 'tin', but tin is a different element than the zinc on galvanized steel. You can buy "Pie safe" Tin [affil links]. letter 18650 gives formulations for darkening tin. Letter 6383 suggests commercial 'patina solutions'. Good luck with the project.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2005
A. If the inserts are too beaten up, there is pie safe tin you can order online for about $8.
Deborah Hulen- Sugar Land, Texas
2005
Multiple threads merged: please forgive chronology errors :-)
Pressed tin for meat safe
Q. I am chasing a company that sells the old fashioned pressed tin that was used in meat safes for flyscreens. I believe it is tin with the holes pressed or punched into it.
Jenni MarnsHobbyist - Perth, WA, Australia
2006
A. Hi, Jenni. I believe you can find several sources by googling for "pie safe tin" , Jenni. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I would like to know the best way to finish the tin panels on my pie safe. It was punched from the inside out, so the sharp points are on the outside.
Irene Eadeshobbyist - New Berlin, Illinois
February 8, 2008
September 2009
A. Hi, Irene. Have you considered taking the tins out and turning them inside out? Sanding them will probably remove the tin plating from the steel sheet metal and they will likely rust unless it's cool and dry inside your home year 'round.. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
A. Hi,
I read your question and was wanting to tell you that I sell tin inserts on my website. We ship to all of Canada and the US.
Laurentian Country Store - St. Adolphe D'Howard, Quebec, Canada
February 22, 2012
Q. Please help. I have a very old pie safe with punched tin panels on the doors. There was some areas that were not aged. I am not sure if someone had tried to clean. I would love to get all panels somewhat consistent. I have tried using some muriatic acid on one panel and even though it did patina the bright areas, it cleaned the patina so it is not as dark and beautiful as it was. What can I do? Really want it to look original. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Patti Ann Van Zant- Richmond, Indiana USA
November 27, 2017
November 2017
A. Hi Patti. I think the easiest way to get an even patina at this point would be to apply a tin blackening patina. If it's then too dark for you, I think you can use steel wool to lighten it.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Refinishing an antique pie safe. Tins are very rusty. Want to buy new if I can get old ones out. How do I get the old ones out? Rails on outside and inside. They seem to be wedged in. No sight of glue or small tack nails. What do I do?
Sally Ferguson- Evansville, Indiana, USA
May 16, 2019
A. Hi Sally. It's possible that some day some pie safe expert will reply, but in the meantime all you can do is guess. It sounds a lot more likely to me that the screens come out from the inside rather than the outside. I would guess that there are moldings with tack nails on the inside but that the holes have been puttied and painted over numerous times and are not at all obvious. It's also not unlikely that the molding was glued. I think if you want to replace the screens you are going to have to resign yourself to having to replace some moldings and doing some refinishing.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
May 2019
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