Restoration of an antique Work Bench.

[rogerjenkins]

This will keep you guys, ( & gals ) interested for months to come as it will be a long-term project for me,- something to work on during the coming summer evenings when, ( hopefully ) there's not much else to do, and there's nothing of interest on the, " idiot box !! "

Received the old work bench at," the right price," ( Freebie ) some time ago, and it has sat in my backyard for the last year or so slowly, degreasing itself by natural means of the sun & heavy rain. Yes, sounds silly I know, to some, but the effects of the sun, & heavy rain do have quite a dramatic effect on removing grease and grime from old pieces of furniture over a period of time, which in turn saves me heaps of scrubbing with the appropriate cleaners, along with a few choice descriptive words along the way.

Have taken a few photos to show you what I am taking on,- no doubt some of you will, " Throw your hands up in despair, " or, perhaps even consider me to be a, " total idiot,' to take on such a dilapidated ancient work bench, which going by its current general appearance looks like it has been around since, " Noah's Day "

Personally,- I enjoy a challenge, especially when the original item is a piece of junk to most peoples eyes.

Roger

[MajorPanic]

Something about Sadomasochism springs to mind here

Best of luck to ya!

[Bono]

Looks like you're up for some fun and games Roger with this old fella, will be following with interest.

[rogerjenkins]

Ah, Yes, I realize the old bench will be a long-term, " fun, & games," job. Had some interesting challenges over the years with contract jobs brought in by others, therefore in comparison, this one is relatively simple, but I still expect some, " fun, & games, " along the way. ( when I find the appropriate location, or section, I will be putting up several classic, " I-did-it-myself, " disasters which people have brought to me over the years to try to fix, as in, " T-R-Y " to fix )

Currently waiting on a customer to come and collect his bar base from my second workshop, ( neighbour's shed ), so I can move the old bench in, and make a start on it. Yep,- have a helpful neighbour who owns an old holiday house directly alongside my place, and since they are seldom there, I have permission to use their shed, which helps heaps, as my shed is a bit cramped for space when it comes to big things like this old bench.
Roger

[woodhunt]

I wish I could still find things like that up in Sydney- it'll come up fantastic!
I've got two tables weathering in the backyard that wouldn't look half as good if they weren't there....

[Old gunnie]

Thats a bewdy Roger! Can't wait to see how it comes up.
OG.

[crowie]

I'd like to see the finished bench too, thank you....

[rogerjenkins]

Just got the old bench into my workshop this afternoon and was about to dismantle it, when a local lady walked in and said,- " I want to buy that as it is !! "
I stood there totally, " stunned, " for a minute or two, so she repeated the words, " I want to buy that as it is !! "
Result,- $50. CASH in hand,- and her husband is coming in the farm ute in the morning to pick it up.

As for me, I am still getting over the shock !!
I think I will survive and live to fight for another day

Although am a bit lost for words,
Roger

[Old gunnie]

aww... was looking forward to the titilating agony of watching someone else's trials and tribulations. Still, well done on the $50, but frankly I think she got a bargin

Cheers
OG

[rogerjenkins]

I got the $50. but the Old Workbench is STILL here. I know the lady's first name, but not her surname, also don't have her phone number either, nor do I know where she lives,- anyway IF she or her husband don't come back to collect it within a week or so, I'm putting the $50. as a, "donation, " towards the materials cost of restoring the old Antique Wookbench. It's called, " bugger them, " or something like that,- besides I also would like to see the old bench cleaned up & restored, and NOT rotting away in some farmyard somewhere.
Make good sense to you guys ??
Roger

[rogerjenkins]

I Still have the $50, AND the old work bench too. Haven't seen or heard from the buyer since the afternoon the woman called in, so am putting the $50, " Donation," towards the material cost of fixing up the old work bench, which should happen shortly within the next few weeks, especially now that Daylight-saving begins this weekend, and with the days also getting l-o-n-g-e-r I can spend more hours out in the workshop making sawdust, ( or should that read, " making Sanding Dust ???? " )
Just framed a collection of old bevelled-edge secondhand mirrors for a client,- not as easy as it should be especially when one old mirror had, ( best described as ), an outward bowed edge,- just to be different,- and difficult ( Murphy's law at work ??????????? )
Roger

[dr4g0nfly]

I reckon that by the time you've finished this it will be like the old janitors broom, 'It's had 7 heads and 3 handles - but it's still the same broom as when he was a lad!'.

[trainingwheels]

So? What ended up happening? Did she come back to put the old girl in a boutique restaurant and charge mega bucks for people to eat off of it? Did you keep it and restore it?
Personally I could not part with any of my three workbenches. Two have sentimental value and one was a rescue from the elements.There should be a post on here about one.I couldn't part with them let alone for $50.

[rogerjenkins]

Still got it. It is now in my second shed, ( neighbour's empty carshed,-got a nice " arrangement," with them as they live in Adelaide ), "burried," under a heap of other things. Any flat surface round here suffers the same fate,- things get put on top of things.
Went to the local dump, ( Waste Transfer Station ) the other day with a trailerload of Genuine Junk, to find someone had thrown out a lovely old turned-legs Hall Table which has seen better days. After parting with $10. the old Hall Table is now in my workshop !!
Roger