Antique Table in an Amateur's Hands: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.

Wow, that table is already beautiful.

I've seen basic hobbyist type guys rework old/worn acoustic guitars to almost new shape.Many of these instruments were almost a century old......Put in the time and you may wind up with a gem.

Rooting for you.

Cheers for the encouragement @Wits-end. It’s been a satisfying day - we have a  long weekend for the upcoming Melbourne Cup tomorrow. It allowed me to tackle a spring refresh of our outdoor furniture and make a start on the table also  - dis-assembling the top from the frame and making a start on the top. 

I could not be happier as my head hits the pillow tonight - the top alone is worth the effort. I’ll post pictures tomorrow!

That said, the legs and frame will be a harder task - so a long way to go yet. 

On the drop finials - they are hard to find on chess tables … at least when I searched and is part of the attraction on the piece.

Here’s a link to a dining table with drop finials and barley twist legs.

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/tables/serving-tables/english-1860s-mahogany-table-barley-twist-base-petite-casters/id-f_24906552/#zoomModalOpen

Here’s my first update.

Yesterday I took the table to a local specialist woodwork shop, Carbatec. I was heartened by their view that the table was a worthy project. Further, they were good people – generous with their time and knowledge; eager to help.

The process I followed went like this:

• Fix the veneer bubble – see youtube but basically, tape over the bubble – slice with grain, wood glue under via a syringe, clamp and … cross your fingers. It worked!!

Then the cleaning and I was careful:

• Citrus Terpene (CT) and a cloth … a bit of dirt on the cloth
• CT and 0000 steel wool … basically still no change
• Move to metho and steel wool … starting to release
• Then to metho and medium steel wool…. Now gunk and dirt is releasing … at this stage I think I am removing the old shellac and dirt.
• The veneer is paper thin so back to 0000 still wool and controlled rubbing
• Back to CT to wipe away mess to see where I was at …
• Spot attacks with metho and steel wool
• CT and cloth to clean.

The questions I’ll forever as myself:

1. Could I have gone further … did I go too far… ? A lovely old bloke at Carbatec suggested I had innately got the balance about right … much further – the veneer was in danger of terminal damage and in his view, I would have removed too much of the antique … this still has age without dirt.
   You’ll note a tendency for the squares – even after my work – to be darker through the middle – this seems to work with the ‘story’ of the board – historical battle to command the centre may cause more wear in that location? Or am I bullsh!tting myself?
2. Should I have repaired some of the corners and the fine marks with some kind of filler or colour. Perhaps – I think a seasoned wood-worker may have but… it caused debate at the shop after I took the board back… (pre finishing) in the end, none of the cracks (on the board) are ugly or an eyesore. Perhaps I should have taken some time on the corners though.

On the finish…. Hmmm. I chose finishing oil and the photo’s below are after three coats.

The great debate was whether to go back to shellac but here I again took guidance. 5 people debating at the shop decided that finishing oil would be the best options… albeit shellac would be great too… part of me thought shellac was more ‘histrocally correct’ perhaps but I chose the oil.

Next step. The frame.

I need to look at the veneer on the top of the frame but it is the legs that will require work.

People with more knowledge than I have confirmed some form of sh!ty finish that will require paint stripper as the first step. That will be a project for another day …

I won’t be offended if people think I have stuffed it or would have taken a different path but I am stoked. Right now … even if the frame and legs were not there – I have a small study board – unique and beautiful. Worth the long drive and a couple of hundred coins.

Here's the story in pics... apologies for the changes in colour balance - the photos of a more yellowy tinge are closest to reality.

Here's the board in morning light - before cleaning:

Here's post cleaning and pre-finish - any moisture is residual citrus terpene.

Here is the board now in garage/workshop and then natural morning light:

and the kit to help.

Its looking good, and the oil finish is less work/quicker than shellac.  The finish on the legs is less critical, the interesting question will be the broken bit on the side and how its been glued.  

Yeeowza! I have to be completely honest....Originally I wanted to be supportive of your 1-expense... and 2- desire to have another worthy addition to a growing collection.

In truth I thought you went a bit overboard and I know(at my age) I don't have the patience to go that route....but....

WAS I WRONG!.......Just gorgeous.....No,GORGEOUS!!!

Three exclamation marks here....One would not have been sufficient, though  grammatically  correct.

WHAT A GEM!

Btw,this reminds me of a scene from "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind"......

You just "Knew Something" when you saw that..

Very nicely done, and well worth the effort!

Thanks Antonius, Greg and Magic.

I did contemplate the purchase for a while - it was available for about 10 weeks before I pulled the trigger! Further, being anxious by nature, I should point out that it helps to be getting opinions and thoughts on potential from Greg to guide my way.

It is interesting… and I’ve said as much in different threads…but I still question myself and whether I am taking the best approach …. I’m right in the middle of middle-class Australia - I’m not rich, I’m not poor - all relative concepts anyway … but should I have saved my pennies and spent circa $1800-$2000 on one beautiful historical set or spent a similar amount to get the six sets of pieces and a few boards … in the end, I am here on the latter path and we will each choose a path that suits our means and wants.

I am now moving away from the new and more to the old … not so easy in Australia / I think Europe has a deeper bounty of older stock but alas here I am in a far away land.

Anyway … we’ll see what comes in future … the table will keep me occupied for a while now.

If this table is stressing you out, imagine what having only "one beautiful historical set" would do to you.  This path will be more fun in the long run and you are already seeing how nice (and in reality straight-forward) it is to repair stuff like this.  

In my humblest opinion, you have done a fine job! I treasure the old along with the newness of the latest work. “Every picture tells a story don’t it?” (Okay, old lyrics from the early ‘70s but still…) I have always said that everyone of my guitars has a story to tell, musically and figuratively. Your “new” old board and table has a story and now a new chapter. One only needs to listen and hear the  narrative. Now, we have been allowed to share in the discovery and the story. Plus we didn’t have to apply the elbow grease. Ha! 

Thanks again for letting us peek in the window of your workshop. Well done!

Just to confirm.....You're intentions are to put legs on it?......Looks great as is.

Great job! Looks great!

Beautiful work!  Amazing what a little attention will draw out.

if you "stuff ... the frame" you will have driven a car over it or something similarly violent, it will be fine.  

Just a quick progress update. In short, the legs are hard! I have thrown everything but the kitchen sink at stripping them and the results remain mixed. Progress is slow. 

I’ve used less caustic methods (vinegar, citrus turpentine) and I’ve used two different chemical paint strippers, along with rags and steel wool! (It was heavy sh!t that basically dissolved my rubber gloves!)

As I said, whatever is on these legs is stubbornly holding!! For some reason, a couple of the legs had a coating different to the others and it came away relative easily. 

I decided to strip the legs because of the supremely ugly drip stains (of something) that appear on numerous legs. So I figure, if I can get back to bare wood - I’ll re-stain and try to match the veneered top.

Anyway - less exciting photos attached but it will give you a sense of progress (or not)!

And I’m open to new ideas on how to work these legs if anyone has any thoughts. 👍

Did you try alcohol on the legs?

That table is going to look real nice when you’ve finished the project. I can imagine the amount of work and elbow grease. I’d try @greghunt’s suggestion using a dowel and sand paper, I’ve used that method with success. I’d also suggest a product that has worked extremely well for me, “Back To Nature Ready Strip”. Works on paint, varnish, stains, lacquers, urethanes etc. No methylene or caustics and the fumes aren’t terrible. However i always wear ventilation mask and keep the shop door or window open for added protection. My thought is to apply “paint” on the Ready Strip, find a length of hemp rope and wrap it with a cotton cloth and draw it back and forth like a shoe shine would to get into the knurled spots. Just an old fellows’s thoughts. Great project @Powderdigit!