Newbee Restoration 101

[nickmm22]

G'day to you all. I am a newbee when it comes to furniture restoration and am after some advice. You'll see from the pictures below the item I am looking to restore, its a wooden filing tray. Structurally its sound, I would say it just needs a good clean (ink marks need t be removed), a few holes filled/plugged and then some type of finishing product applied to complete the job.

So, can anyone point me in the direction of either some course/documentation thats on line which I can follow or are there some specific books someone can point me towards that will show me how to do each segment of the job? I know I can sign up for classes to do the work but I'm just looking to do this project in my own time at home.

Thanks a bunch to all those who take the time to give me some direction.






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[Lawry01]

Hi nicmm22! Looks like a really cool project to cut your teeth on! Do you have any idea how old the piece is? Looks to be mid 1900's to me, but others here may have better ideas! I ask because I think this is a classic opportunity to do some fundamental rubbing back, and shellacing. I reckon it would come up beautifully in this way. Lots of help here for you. At the risk of blowing my own trumpet, follow the thread I started a number of months ago... G'day folks...help with old english oak desk please. (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f173/gday-folks-help-old-english-oak-desk-please-151803/) it prety much runs you through the learning that I went thrpough to restore an old english oak desk......so whilst your's is not so complex, I think the steps are similar. Have a read, and in the meantime, others may post suggestions. The help I gained here was incedible, so hope I can pass some on. Lawry