Question about a Cedar chest

[johnnie52]

G'day gang,

The wife inherited an antique cedar chest that she has asked me to restore. The chest is a Standard Line, made by the Chicago Screen Company. Overall its in very good shape except for the finish which has some extreme damage. I've posted pictures to an album here at the forum site.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/album.php?albumid=171&pictureid=1550
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/album.php?albumid=171&pictureid=1551

The trouble is that the finish has cracked and there are raised bumps all over the chest. The bumps have turned black in color. It looks like its been scorched in a fire that only effected the finish and not the wood beneath. I know that this piece spent over ten years in a storage shed in the heat and humidity of Florida and the shed got as high as 120 F (near 50 C) on a regular basis.

Unless someone has a better idea, I plan to sand the chest down to the wood and refinish with either polyurethane or clear lacquer. I really do not want to get involved with chemical strippers.

I really want to do this piece justice and not just create a mess, so I'm hoping that you seasoned restorers can offer some advice on the proper way to make this chest like new again.

[toolbagsPLUS]

G'day Johnnie52,

If it is very old, then a safe bet would be it's finished with varnish or shellac. Before ripping into it with the sander try a test, like rubbing a small area with mentholated spirits. If it's one of the aforementioned finishes it will melt and come away very easily. That being the case, #2 steel wool and metho will remove most of the grime and finish leaving you with the chest in good condition with no sanding required. You may even find that you don't have to remove all the old finish (which is more desirable and less work) then refinish with the same medium viz. Shellac. When dry cut in and buff a good quality furniture wax and it's good to go for another 100 years.

Good luck, of course if it's not as I think then someone else I'm sure will offer some further good advice.

Cheers
Steve

[johnnie52]

Thanks for the advice Toolbags. I'll be starting the project this weekend and will try using your method before I grab the vibrator and 60 grit :)

[astrid]

toolbag is correct i think.
take the old finish off, if meths wont work even a chemical stripper is preferable to sanding:(
the black spots look like mould onder the finish, that will have to be killed off before you finish it.
polyeurothane will look like crap on this, use 3 coats of shellac and then wax it.

[Claw Hama]

I'm with toolbags although I would use a light furniture oil rather than the metho with 0000 steel wool and then finish with cabinet makers wax / good furniture wax. This process only takes off the rough bumps and leaves a beautiful patina. I'm sure you would be struck down by bolt of lightning if you went near it with a sander!! Good luck.

[johnnie52]

I couldn't find any denatured alcohol, or that metholated spirits locally, so I experimented in a small corner on the back of the piece with some rubbing alcohol (isopropyl and water mix) which melted the old finish and removed the black spots.

Since I really don't need anymore trouble with God causing lightning strikes than I already have (the US economy is in the toilet and doesn't look like its coming back any time soon, I got laid off in October and haven't been able to find anything that even resembles a job since) I'll look around for the right stuff to do this job.

Thanx guys.. I'll post pics of the finished chest.

[johnnie52]

I found a small hardware store that has been in this city for over 100 years! What a treasure house of stuff! I'll be spending a lot of time in there despite it being way over on the other side of town..... Anyways... youse guys was right! The denatured alcohol works wonders! Pour it on, scrub it with steel wool, wipe it off and like majic the once nasty old finish is almost as good as new!

Here is a shot of just the top,

I'm extremely pleased with the results.... thanks mates.

[Claw Hama]

Well done Jonnie, glad you persued the right material. Sounds like a great old hardware, most of our old ones are disapearing and we are being left with the larger discount hardware stores that are just full of crap.

[toolbagsPLUS]

Done well Johnnie, suppose you've learnt...don't breath to deeply around that stuff:no::C. Got it mixed up with a beer once and took a swallow of it:o:o:o:o.

Only did it the once:doh:

Looking forward to the finished article.

Cheers

Steve

[Ron Dunn]

"Repairing" that damaged finish may destroy any value in the chest. If this is a concern to you, I recommend you seek the advice of a professional dealer before doing any damage.

[johnnie52]

Ron,

Not repairing it will destroy any hope of my continuing to enjoy a sex life (at least with the wife) :B

This chest has been in her family for many, many, many years and she has no plans to sell it. Her plans are to leave it to our daughter in her will. The same way it was given to her by her grandma.

I also have a new question for the group.

Have any of you tried the shellac that come in a spray can? My newly found source of all things old tells me that they no longer stock brush one shellac or the chips that you mix to your own formula. They only have clear spray shellac.

What do youse think? Use the spray cans, or order the brush on stuff on line?

[toolbagsPLUS]

Hey Johnnie, One for the good guys at least you have you're priorities in order.

The flip side is that if a piece is restored well it will enhance the value.

I had a chest given to me to restore once and after cleaning and re shellacking. It was found to still have the Reg. N0. of the owner and Regiment of King Georges Fusiliers. Stencilled on it under all the dirt and grim of many years.

Go for the brush on Shellac if you can get it, I have some spare flakes here, but a bit to far to come and pick them up.:~

Stick with it and enjoy the fruits of your labour, and other perks.

Cheers


Steve:)

[AlexS]

... Got it mixed up with a beer once and took a swallow of it:o:o:o:o.

Only did it the once:doh:


I knew a bloke who did that, and it killed him
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but he had a beautiful finish.:D

[johnnie52]

G'Day Mates,

Welp....

The chest is almost finished (pun intended - pictures to follow when it is finished). I have apparently made one big mistake. I thought that the piece had been stained prior to having its original shellacing. Now I believe that it was finished with one of the reddish colored shellacs. The deep red hue is gone from the chest and has been replaced by a more yellowish tone. (This is most likely due to my having used an amber shellac instead of a clear shellac. It looks really good and both the wife and I are pleased by the result because it is closer to a match with the rest of our bedroom furniture and it brings out more of the properties of the wood. Apparently the only part of this that is cedar is the bottom of the unit. The rest of it is made from Walnut.

BUTT....(I know you all could smell this one coming)

The finish is rather rough to the touch. Its not too bad, its just not smooth when you run your hand over it. During the removal of the old finish the chest felt almost like glass after the alcohol had removed the damage. Also, the piece is now extremely shiny. It almost looks like it is coated in glass. We'd like it to have more of a satin finish than the gloss finish as this will be closer to the original and a better match to the other pieces in the bedroom.

The new question is, can I obtain a nice smooth, satin finish using a good furniture paste wax and #0000 steel wool or are there other steps that must be done prior to waxing?

I've come this far and really want this to have the look and feel of a fine piece of furniture.

[toolbagsPLUS]

Hey number one thing:; is that you are still married, WAY TO GO!:2tsup:

Get hold of some 320 or 400 wet and dry abrasive paper, wet in soapy water and rub it back, BUT NOT THROUGH THE FINISH:o:doh: but just to get the roughness out. give it a few more coats and do the same with 600 grit then finish again rub back with 800 grit if you are pleased with the result then another coat leave to dry of about a week then cut with a good wax furniture polish and 0000 steel wool and buff with a soft cloth Guaranteed to keep you married for a few more years yet.

By the way I would take walnut over cedar any day.


Cheers

Steve

[johnnie52]

Thanks Steve,

I did the sanding bit between coats already (an important lesson that I learned using poly on new wood). I've not had to do anything with the top coat before as I usually thin my poly and then spray it on using my compressed air paint sprayer. I figured I'd ask about this though because its the first time I've tried using shellac or brushing on a finish and I'm a wee bit nervous about it.:? From what I've read it seems to be pretty much the same kind of process that I'd use when repainting a car. Apply finish....let dry....sand for smoothness.... finally wax and buff.

I thought that water wasn't good to use on shellac? Did I read more into the warnings about water than I needed to?

[toolbagsPLUS]

If water sits on shellac for a time you are right it soaks in and causing discolouration ans separation but will you're working it i.e. sanding and moving it around there is no problem just make sure you dry in all off well when you have finished.


Cheers

Steve

[johnnie52]

As promised, the chest is now all done and ready to be displayed.

First, I feel that I must thank all those who offered advise on doing this as I really had no clue how to and would have made a mess of it without you guys. THANK YOU ALL! :2tsup:

In a couple of these photos you will see what looks like blotches of white and a big smear of green on the front. When I first saw the photos I had to go back and examine the chest.... Turns out that the finish is so clear and crisp that it reflects things in the room! (That's a good thing....right :?) The white globs are reflections from the bed spread, and the green glob is a reflection from a big green ball that is just barely visible in one of the pictures.

Thanks again mates. The wife is very happy and I'm totally amazed by the finished chest.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/picture.php?albumid=171&pictureid=1722

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/picture.php?albumid=171&pictureid=1723

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/picture.php?albumid=171&pictureid=1724

[toolbagsPLUS]

Well done, you should rightfully be pleased with your efforts.

I could always use an extra pair of hands in my workshop.

Cheers

Steve