Packaging imprint in finish ?

Man, that’s weird. Can they just see the imprint or feel it. If they can only see it, I would say wax it. If they can feel it, they may have to sand down a bit and either add lacquer or rewax.

-- Bill M. "People change, walnut doesn't" by Gene.

Off hand I would try Naptha on a lint free cloth. Lightly wipe the affected parts with the naptha. Followed with a dry lint free rag.
Nathan will break down the wax and hopefully take the imprint. I really don’t know the effects of naptha on lacquer. You may want to test the method on a lacquered piece before trying on the box. Although at the worst you strip the box with naptha, sand back the lacquer and refinish.
Was it newsprint that transferred?

-- Made in America, with American made tools....Shopsmith

Would be interested in knowing HOW it happened? Maybe there was some dampness inside the box from the heat/cold exchange which causes condensation?
I’m fixing to ship a couple turned pieces that are sprayed with lacquer and I’d like to avoid this too.

-- Perform A Random Act Of Kindness Today ... Pay It Forward

Bill, she can only see the imprint and only when the light is just right and is game to try re-waxing it to see if that will solve the issue.

Jack, if the waxing doesn’t work, I will try the naphtha and re-wax it myself.

Joe, I got some more details. The issue is only on two corners where the packaging was tight and the box wax left in the car for a couple hours with the Albuquerque sun shining brightly through the glass. The packaging was a soft plastic so between the heat and the pressure and the plastic/wax contact that may have been the root cause.

What does everyone else use for packaging?

-- Art

May be relevant: some plastics have “plasticizers” in them to keep them flexible and soft. It varies widely by specific plastic, but these plasticizers can do odd things to finishes if they come into contract. If you had plastic worms do odd things to the older plastic tackle boxes, it’s the same effect. I had some plastic “feet’ on a telephone leaves black circles on a store bought nightstand (years ago).....that’s how I got to looking into it.

-- Our village hasn't lost it's idiot, he was elected to congress.

So it is not ink that transformed but a surface indentation? Make sure the same kind of wax is used. The solvents vary from brand to brand.

-- Made in America, with American made tools....Shopsmith

I would use denatured alcohol to clean the wax off. It won’t harm the lacquer.
Pre-cat lacquer dries hard enough to pack overnight. (You can buy pre-cat in rattle cans from Sherwin Williams)
Regular nitrocellulose lacquers take longer to cure and the off gassing can soften the topcoat back up.

I wrap things up in 1/8 foam that comes on a roll, then stretchwrap it. Then put it in a box, Next I put that box in another box filled with newspaper. Overkill, but foolproof, most of the time.

-- Because I'm gone, that's why!

It is defiantly caused by the excessive heat softening of the finish. It must have been like an oven in there. How about trying to rub it out and then buffing it up to the sheen as you would with a auto finish?

I don’t think your customer will be able to correct it unless they have your skill set.

-- Respectfully, Paul

Here is the final report. She couldn’t find Johnson’s paste wax, so she used Mr Clean Magic Eraser (a very fine abrasive as near as I can tell), then a light coating of vegetable oil wiped dry. If she is happy, I am happy, but I’m not sure why she asked my opinion, then did her own thing. :D

Anyhow, thanks to everyone for the responses, I definitely learned some valuable lessons.

-- Art

Art,
Thanks for the update good to know.

pj

-- Respectfully, Paul

As long as she’s happy. I’ve thought about magic erasers for that kind of use before. May try it sometime when the need arises.

-- Bill M. "People change, walnut doesn't" by Gene.

Hi Art
Sorry to chime in so late, but I’ve been in the shop and haven’t checked the e-mails or the computer for a couple of days.
Had the same thing happen to a box I sent to my daughter … After some head scratching, I told her to go to one of the big box stores and pick up some MinWax finishing was and a piece of #0000 steel wool and give it a good rubbing and then polish with a clean cloth … wholla! problem solved!
It seems that there is some bubble wrap that reacts with the wax. My thought is that the carnuba (sp) oils react with some plastics.
But I am glad that your customer was happy in the end.

-- Grumpy old guy, and lookin' good Doin' it. ... Surprise Az.

Thanks everyone. I won’t be using plastic again. I will go with foam as suggested by Iwud.

-- Art

Art
“but I’m not sure why she asked my opinion, then did her own thing”
My guess is your customer spends a lot of time on this site and just did what a lot of others do.
Bob

Bob, I’m just happy that it worked to her satisfaction. :D

-- Art