Restoration projects , restorer wanted to help/mentor on projects. Sydney

[tophalf]

Hi folks, Ian here , I'm looking for an experienced restorer who is retired and would like some casual/part time work to help and mentor me with a number of restoration projects including : colonial cedar chaise / day bed , colonial cedar chest of drawers and a coalbrookdale garden bench. I am at Ryde but am happy to travel if need be.
Cheers - Ian

[Horsecroft88]

Hi Ian, while I can't readily help you, given I am in Hobart, as a starter if I can offer a couple of suggestions that may assist. First off, if you could post some photos of your various projects that alone may elicit some advice as it is difficult to be able to say anything without at least knowing what needs to be done.

Second off, and not in the slightest wishing to pump up my own tyres, you might as a starting point also like to read some of the various restoration threads, including my own somewhat now lengthy one, which also may give you some ideas as to what needs to be done and how.

My point being, do your projects require merely stripping and repolishing etc. or are we talking of minor or even major repairs (construction work) to be done, be it say draw liners, broken or missing parts, borer affected sections, loose joints etc ??

Happy to provide any advice I can (within my limitations) but you will I am sure find plenty of good advice here from experienced woodworkers. Cheers Dave

[tophalf]

Thanks for the advice Dave I will take some snaps and post some pics of the pieces needing restoration.

[Lawry01]

Ian....make sure you do follow through mate...there are some incredibly talented folks lurking on this forum, and if you;'re serious, and prepared to be 'grasshopper' for a while, sensais will appear.
Without meaning to enlarge their heads (you know who you are!!) this is how i started on this forum, with a fairly major (to me) resto project, and man oh man, it was better than a 12 month Tafe course. Follow up on HC's current and earlier threads, and even look at my tooth cutting experience.... https://www.woodworkforums.com/f173/g...glish+oak+desk

Good luck, & I look forward to seeing your progress! Lawry

[tophalf]

Thanks for the advice Lawry, and have some pics of the pieces needing work, 1 cedar chest of drawers that has been "black japped " at sometime also the drawers do not run well this piece stands 4ft by 3 foot 8 inches across. The other cedar chest drawers is a little bigger it's drawers also do not run well, turned feet and 1 knob missing are missing and finish needs reviving. The cedar day bed is old and interesting but does need a bit of work, caning of the seat, one end is missing and needs to be remade, the piece also needs revival of the finish. Finally a have put a pic of a coalbrookdale garden bench the same as mine but after restoration, mine will need sandblasting, most of the bolts replaced and a small amount of cast iron welding then paint and finally timber slats fitted. So if you or someone you know might be interested in helping on these projects please get in contact , I'm not looking for a free ride and am happy to pay the right person/people for their work as well as doing what I am able to do.
Cheers - Ian

[Lawry01]

Some great looking pieces thee Ian. Once you decide which you will start with, post your project and see who comes out of he woodwork!! You may be pleasantly surprised, not just at the help, but at how much you can do yourself...I know I was!! Cheers, in anticipation! Lawry

[Horsecroft88]

Hi Ian, I am with Lawry on this one, you sure do have some really lovely antiques there and with a little TLC will look superb and be really wonderful items to have around your home to use and enjoy.

Ok, to try and help as much as is possible from far away. In terms of the first cedar chest of drawers, (the one with no feet and a missing knob) to me that should be a relatively straight forward project to sort out. A knob can either be found perhaps through an antique shop that stocks all sorts of furniture hardware etc, or have one turned up or at worst buy a reproduction one if you can find one to match the design of the rest of them.

The same should be true also for the feet. You could also try keep an eye out if interested on ebay under antique furniture section to see if the missing parts might turn up, such things occasionally do. Next off is the polish on the chest. Before going down the road of stripping and repolishing, I would jump onto the Ubeaut website and read up on a number of products they sell there. The reason I say this, is because with a little work I suspect you might be able to revive the polish. Neil sells a polish reviver product, waxes and other such finish repair solutions and I suspect this could work a treat with the chest. The original finish if it can be saved is a part of the patina of it afterall. If you need drawer repairs/runners. Any decent antique restorer could sort that part out for you, for relatively not too much money. The alternative could be to try to do it yourself. I know I have seen a number of threads on how to do this sort of work.

With the black japaned chest..........ouch......how sad. Black Japan can be a real pain in the you know what to remove. I would think paint stripper and/or if really necessary caustic soda solution and hard scrubbing back with coarse grade (0) steel wool might do the job, but it will be an unknown until tried and definitely hard work. After that re-polishing using shellac would be relatively speaking an easy task to complete.

With the daybed, again, polish reviver and waxing etc might do the job for the woodwork, otherwise perhaps lightly keying back and re-shellacing should sort that out. As to the cane base I am sorry I can't help out on that part re what to do.

Ditto with your garden bench again sandblasting and powder coating should sort out the metal work. I would outsource that sort of work to the professionals. Cast iron welding is a really specialist aspect, not many people can do that sort of work. while sorting out the slats should be a relatively straight forward task I would imagine.

Hopefully someone will come forward to offer you a hand with the projects, especially if you think they are all beyond your abilities. All the best, dave

[Lawry01]

Ahhhh......................and so it begins!!!!!! The Master is in residence!!! Your move Ian!!

[jimmy Rae]

Hi all
The table is french polished and are looking a little tired--the legs have faded over time and i was wondering what was the best way to bring the colour and depth back to the legs?
I am reasonable handy but have no idea how to tackle this task.
Any advice --from "donot attemp leave to a professional " or here are the 3 steps to follow would be greatly appreciated.
thank you
Jimmy 0413499652
[email protected]