a

19/05/2006 12:06 AM

Is this worth refinishing?

Hi,

I'm thinking of taking on this old table as a refinishing project and
I'm not sure whether it is doable and whether the table is worth it.

For one thing, on the legs is broken. It you see it here:

http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/leg.jpg

Nothing seems to have chipped away, and everything "connects" when you
put the two pieces together. Can this be effectively glued together?

Could you also take a look at these pictures and recommend to me
whether this table is worth refinishing?

http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/table.jpg
http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/under.jpg
http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/surface.jpg (are those thumbtacks?)
http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/legs.jpg

Thank you so much for your input!

Aaron Fude


This topic has 9 replies

RN

"RayV"

in reply to [email protected] on 19/05/2006 12:06 AM

19/05/2006 5:11 AM

I think it looks great the way it is. Titebond II should hold that leg
together no probelm as long as you can clamp it effectively.

Only you can determine if it is worth refinishing.

Looks as though it has two drawers, no?

p

in reply to [email protected] on 19/05/2006 12:06 AM

19/05/2006 5:53 AM

[email protected] wrote:
> Hi,
snip
>
> Could you also take a look at these pictures and recommend to me
> whether this table is worth refinishing?
>
> http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/table.jpg
> http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/under.jpg
> http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/surface.jpg (are those thumbtacks?)
> http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/legs.jpg
>
> Thank you so much for your input!
>
> Aaron Fude

Refinish!? Wax it and put it in your parlor! Looks great to me as is.

-Phil Crow

a

in reply to [email protected] on 19/05/2006 12:06 AM

19/05/2006 9:51 AM

Thank you very much for all responses!

A couple of follow up questions:

1. To strengthen the leg with a dowel or a steel rod sounds like a
good idea. Can I read somewhere about the details of implementation
(how wide, how deep, how many, exactly where, etc).

2. When you say "clean it up", do you mean merely a damp rag or
something more sophisticated?

3. Also, in it's current condition, what would be a reasonable amount
to pay for a table like that (one of the drawers is also broken). A
very wide range is OK, I just don't want to miss the ballpark.

And finally, any idea what those bumps on the surface are that look
like thumbtacks?

Once again, thank you very much for all responses. This is a great ng.

Aaron Fude

BG

Bill G

in reply to [email protected] on 19/05/2006 12:06 AM

19/05/2006 8:48 AM

Hi--I agree with RayV. Also, as I understand it, much of the value of
old furniture is in the patina. Refinishing would destroy that. Along
the same lines, you might try hide glue for the leg. If you could put a
bit of a dowel or loose tenon/spline in the leg it would help strengthen
the joint.

I think the table would certainly be worth cleaning up.

[email protected] wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm thinking of taking on this old table as a refinishing project and
> I'm not sure whether it is doable and whether the table is worth it.
>
> For one thing, on the legs is broken. It you see it here:
>
> http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/leg.jpg
>
> Nothing seems to have chipped away, and everything "connects" when you
> put the two pieces together. Can this be effectively glued together?
>
> Could you also take a look at these pictures and recommend to me
> whether this table is worth refinishing?
>
> http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/table.jpg
> http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/under.jpg
> http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/surface.jpg (are those thumbtacks?)
> http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/legs.jpg
>
> Thank you so much for your input!
>
> Aaron Fude
>

Nn

No

in reply to [email protected] on 19/05/2006 12:06 AM

19/05/2006 10:17 PM

[email protected] wrote:
> Thank you very much for all responses!
>
> A couple of follow up questions:
>
> 1. To strengthen the leg with a dowel or a steel rod sounds like a
> good idea. Can I read somewhere about the details of implementation
> (how wide, how deep, how many, exactly where, etc).
>
> 2. When you say "clean it up", do you mean merely a damp rag or
> something more sophisticated?
>
> 3. Also, in it's current condition, what would be a reasonable amount
> to pay for a table like that (one of the drawers is also broken). A
> very wide range is OK, I just don't want to miss the ballpark.
>
> And finally, any idea what those bumps on the surface are that look
> like thumbtacks?
>
> Once again, thank you very much for all responses. This is a great ng.
>
> Aaron Fude
>
What to pay? $5 or $10 or a thousand. Who knows. Personally I don't
think I would pay one dollar for it (I have no use for it). My advice,
usually to sellers, is this. Remember, something is only worth what
someone is willing to pay for it. Someone could come along and say oh,
thats a this and that table where George Washington had his tea before
the battle of Gettysburg! <grin> And that its worth a million bucks. If
no one is willing to pay that then its not really worth that. Get my point?

So, what are YOU willing to pay for that table.

BTW - yes the dowel is a good idea for superior strength but I too am of
the opinion that simpler is often better. Try some Titebond glue and
clamp together. Some tape may do the trick for clamping if you can get
it tight. Same glue may also fix the drawer.

As for finishing - Just try an do a wipe down with a damp cloth first.
Second just wipe down with some furniture polish or murphys. Or try some
mineral spirits.

See how you do. If you want to go further, Formby's has a refinisher
product that IIRC somehow sort of re-dissolves the old finish and yet
keeps it in place. What ever, you'll figure it out.

Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php

dd

"dadiOH"

in reply to [email protected] on 19/05/2006 12:06 AM

19/05/2006 3:23 PM

[email protected] wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm thinking of taking on this old table as a refinishing project and
> I'm not sure whether it is doable and whether the table is worth it.
>
> For one thing, on the legs is broken. It you see it here:

The leg can certainly be glued but IMO would need an internal support to
make it reasonably functional...a piece of 1/4" steel rod should do it. You
*might* be able to skip the support if you glued with epoxy thickened with
Cabosil.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico


dd

"dadiOH"

in reply to [email protected] on 19/05/2006 12:06 AM

19/05/2006 6:58 PM

[email protected] wrote:
> Thank you very much for all responses!
>
> A couple of follow up questions:
>
> 1. To strengthen the leg with a dowel or a steel rod sounds like a
> good idea. Can I read somewhere about the details of implementation
> (how wide, how deep, how many, exactly where, etc).

I'd go with steel myself. All you would need is one and the location isn't
terribly important just so it is away from the edge(s)...centered, more or
less. Depth maybe 3/4 - 1/4 or so in each piece. Its purpose is to
transmit force from one piece to another so that force isn't taken solely by
the repaired joint.

It is easy to place it in one piece. The hard part is getting it into the
other so that the broken faces of the joint match up. Here's an easy way
assuming you are using a thickened epoxy (so it won't run). It is really a
great adhesive for this


1. Drill your hole in one piece

2. If you have what I call a dowel "pop" place it in the hole. It is just a
piece of metal rod the correct size with a shoulder to keep it a bit proud.
The protruding end comes to a point. Not hard to improvise if you don't
have one.

3. Bring the pieces together so they mate as closely as possible and the
sharp point is touching the undrilled piece.

4. Give them a tap so the point marks the undrilled piece.

5. Drill a hole the correct depth and angle but make it bigger in diameter
so you have some wobble room.

6. Coat the joints with thickened epoxy filling the oversize hole. Don't
use a lot on the surfaces, try to minimize squeeze out.

7. Put the pieces together taking care to align them. You don't need to
clamp, some masking tape will hold them til the epoxy cures but clean off
any epoxy prior to taping.

8. Leave it undisturbed for a day.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico


BH

Brian Henderson

in reply to [email protected] on 19/05/2006 12:06 AM

22/05/2006 9:24 PM

On Fri, 19 May 2006 18:58:11 GMT, "dadiOH" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>2. If you have what I call a dowel "pop" place it in the hole. It is just a
>piece of metal rod the correct size with a shoulder to keep it a bit proud.
>The protruding end comes to a point. Not hard to improvise if you don't
>have one.

That's called a "dowel center" (ie. it's made to mark the center of
holes for dowels).

FB

Frank Boettcher

in reply to [email protected] on 19/05/2006 12:06 AM

19/05/2006 10:43 AM

On 19 May 2006 00:06:13 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I'm thinking of taking on this old table as a refinishing project and
>I'm not sure whether it is doable and whether the table is worth it.
>
>For one thing, on the legs is broken. It you see it here:
>
>http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/leg.jpg
>
>Nothing seems to have chipped away, and everything "connects" when you
>put the two pieces together. Can this be effectively glued together?
>
>Could you also take a look at these pictures and recommend to me
>whether this table is worth refinishing?
>
>http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/table.jpg
>http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/under.jpg
>http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/surface.jpg (are those thumbtacks?)
>http://www.math.drexel.edu/~pg/legs.jpg
>
>Thank you so much for your input!
>
>Aaron Fude


Definitely not. Not worth fooling with. Throw it away. (tell me
where so I can go pick it up) :~).

Frank


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