Removing Varnish Drip on Bottom of Table Top

[Alan Lightstone]

It appears that there were some varnish drips that settled on the bottom of the table top I varnished. It is a drafting table, so the bottom is potentially visible, so I can't just ignore them. This table was a labor of love for the LOML, so I want to do this right.

What is the best approach to remove these drips? The Waterlox finish has been curing for a month, and I'm getting ready to rub out the top with Micro Mesh.

Drip-on-Back-of-Table.jpg

[Scott Holmes]

I'd use a razor knive and slice it off or just the blade held 90 degrees to the surface and used as a scraper...

[Alan Lightstone]

Should I coat some varnish over the scraped off area, or just leave it alone? Will that make it more noticeable?

Also, after scraping/slicing it off, will rubbing out the surface make it even less noticeable? Again, this is the bottom of the drafting table tilting top, so not great exposure.

Interestingly (at least to me) the drips came off the top, dripped down the molded edges, and stuck to the carpet I had supporting the bottom of the wood. The carpet solved the problem of marks on the waterlox, but added the drip issue. So I still don't have a foolproof technique for finishing a tabletop with wiping varnish. I'm pretty close, but still not there.

[Scott Holmes]

If you are getting drips while applying a wiping varnish you are trying to brush it on with a rag. Wipe-on is so quick and light there should not be enough varnish to drip. Wipe it on like the kid wipes the table at the burger joint... barely wet.