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Coffee Table Restore

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Coffee Table Restore

Postby Phil » 11 Sep 2021, 13:14

Coffee Table Restore

I can hear the groans about not another table ……………….

This is another orphan from the second hand shop. Wife decided it is a nice table, I was dragged along to approve (can you fix it?) and transport it home. She paid for the table, so there was no capital outlay for me.

Into the living room it went with no planned date for restoring. There was already enough going on in the workshop.

Eventually the work area was cleared and the table moved.

The table probably dates from the 40’s/50’s and was typically finished with lots of brown varnish. Thick brown varnish!

The timber looks like Mahogany.

The process will be to first remove all the varnish, sand and finish off with an oil mixture of Boiled Linseed and turps.

First off, examine the top for any serious damage, then flip over and see what the legs look like and could they possibly be removed. Makes it easier to strip, sand and finish.

The top had lots of dings, some a mere scratch others a proper dent.

Top_B4_Stripping.jpg
Top before stripping
(28.92 KiB)


Top_With_Dings_1.jpg
Top with dings
(28.15 KiB)


Top_With_Dings_2.jpg
Top with dings
(36.68 KiB)


Top_With_Dings_3.jpg
Top with dings
(31 KiB)


Top_With_Dings_4.jpg
Top with dings
(41.91 KiB)


They will be dealt with once the old varnish has been removed.

There is a slight gap where the boards were joined, less than 1mm wide and about half way across.

The base looked ok.

There was a support fitted across to assist in very little movement of the joined boards.

TableTop_Support.jpg
Table top support brace
(33.72 KiB)


Base_B4_Stripping.jpg
Base before stripping
(26.99 KiB)


Base_B4_Stripping_2.jpg
Base before stripping
(38.15 KiB)


Check again to see if the legs can be removed, makes it so much easier to strip off the varnish and sand, and sand ……….

They were glued on with Hyde glue and screwed.

Before getting physical with the legs, out come the number stamps.

The base pieces were all numbered as well as the legs. This just to ensure that the legs go back to their right spot.

First get the screws out. 2 Screws missing? (Take no notice, but will come back and bite later on!)

There are different ways to soften the hyde glue. I used a syringe and meths and some putty scrapers.

Then the large rubber mallet.

Leg_Off.jpg
Leg off
(37.3 KiB)


Leg_Off_2.jpg
Leg off
(42.5 KiB)



Looking at the base - first remove the varnish.

For this there is only one good product. A clear gel that stinks and burns like hell when you get it on your fingers. Paint stripper!

Open the garage door and window. Turn on that big fan.

Eeny, meeny miny mo, grab the paint brush and let’s go!

Paint on, wait a couple of minutes, scrape off. Repeat until no more varnish visible.

Keep a bucket of water and some soap nearby.

I started cleaning and sanding the base frame. Small Makita 1/3 sander with 100grit, 180grit and 240grit.

Base_Scraping_Cleaning_Oiling.jpg
Scraping, cleaning and oiling the base
(35.56 KiB)


Looks good and the frame then had its first oiling.

BaseCleanedOiled.jpg
Base cleaned & oiled
(33.47 KiB)


A project without the CUF is just not a proper project!

The half wit doing the work oiled over the area where the legs have to be glued and screwed. A lot of foreign language, scraping and sanding to clean it up.

Now for the top and side. Flip the top over and support the bottom edges off the work area.

Same process as before ………….

Paint on, wait a couple of minutes, scrape off. Repeat until no more varnish visible.

Keep a bucket of water and some soap nearby.

After the final coat of stripper the timber needs to be ‘washed’ to remove all residue.

I started sanding the top. Small Makita 1/3 sander with 100grit. The other grits will follow once the dings have been treated.

{stripping top}
StrippingTop.JPG
Stripping the top
(63.06 KiB)


For the gap I used some veneer which is glued in and then cut level using my best friend a Stanley blade. These blades are extremely sharp and careless use leaves bloody marks all over!

Gap_Filling_1.jpg
Filling the gap with veneer
(34.47 KiB)


Gap_Filling_2.jpg
Filling the gap with veneer
(33.67 KiB)


Next to do the dents/dings.

Take some white chalk, add lots of light at an angle and start marking.

Marking_Dents.jpg
Marking the dents with white chalk
(35.75 KiB)


Next get an old clothes iron.

Wet a rag, place on dent, then hot iron on top.

Lots of steam.


Ironing_Dents.jpg
Ironing out the dents
(38.52 KiB)


Repeat, repeat and repeat again and again until all signs of dents are not visible.

Steaming the dents demonstration:



The top is now ready for its final sanding.

Again the small Makita 1/3 sander with 180grit and 240grit and a final wipe over with friend Stanley. (Did I mention how sharp these blades are?)

Top_Done.jpg
Top done
(26.22 KiB)


TopDone.jpg
Top done
(37.46 KiB)


End of first post
We don't stop woodworking because we grow old, we grow old because we stop woodworking!

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Re: Coffee Table Restore

Postby thetyreman » 11 Sep 2021, 13:21

nice, looks amazing, much better than before, the natural colour is far more attractive.
'Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do' Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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Re: Coffee Table Restore

Postby Phil » 11 Sep 2021, 13:38

Continued from first post ............


Now the edges.

What a pain, not just the stripper burning.
This is really finicky work on the profile
Eventually stripped and then sanded. Sanding the profile by hand is a real pain in the aris.

Checking_the_Edge.jpg
Checking the edge
(31.91 KiB)


The top can now get the oil treatment

Top_Oiling.jpg
Top being oiled
(30.26 KiB)


The top also received its first wax coats. The wax is Wooddoc Antique wax.

Wax.jpg
The wax tin
(34.52 KiB)


That is a Beech mallet that I turned years ago. I use it to hammer the paint tin openers.

Top first waxing.jpg
Top after first waxing
(37.46 KiB)



Next onto the legs. Another fiddly painful job.

Legs.JPG
Legs
(37.68 KiB)


Legs_B4_Stripping.jpg
The legs before stripping
(35.25 KiB)


Lovely ball and claw feet, even a bigger pain to strip and sand

Feet.jpg
A foot
(22.47 KiB)


Foot.jpg
Another foot
(23.08 KiB)


At long last the legs stripped and can be sanded.

Legs_Cleaned_First_Sanding.jpg
The legs after being stripped and sanded
(47.37 KiB)


Legs_After_Cleaning.jpg
The legs after being stripped and sanded
(48.36 KiB)


Lastly oiling the legs

Oiling_Legs.jpg
Oiling the legs
(37.15 KiB)


Legs_Oiling.jpg
Oiling the legs
(51.64 KiB)


The legs are also waxed before being screwed back on. A lot easier to do it this way.

Screwing
Some of the screw holes needed a bit of filling. Toothpicks make good fillers as well bamboo skewers.

The original metal screws are in good condition and can be used again.

First leg - apply glue, insert screws, aim for holes, feels good and start screwing.

Nice and sturdy feeling.

Next leg …………

Strange, there are only 6 screws in the holder. Must have been misplaced on the workbench. Dip into screw stock and find another 2 of same size and diameter.

Same process - apply glue, insert screws, aim for holes, feels good and start screwing

HKGK (here comes big sh11tt).

Take an awl, stick point into hole and tap.

Sounds like metal on metal!

Try the other hole. Same thing.

Ok, so the CUF was here, AGAIN.
The screws had broken off in the hole, the workshop-twit forgot that fact and he also threw the bits away. Now I know why there were only 6 screws!

BrokenScrew2.jpg
The broken screw
(39.72 KiB)


Solution - drill some holes around where the screw is situated creating a cavity to remove the piece of metal.

Then with some paint tin openers (Bob-9F apologies for letting the team down and resorting to the can openers) shape the hole.

Find some scrap pieces of mahogany, cut and trim and plug the hole.

BrokenScrew.jpg
The broken screw
(38.63 KiB)


RepairBrokenScrewHoles.jpg
Plug the broken screw holes
(37.83 KiB)


Finally the last leg screwed on.

Somewhere in the process the bottom of the feet were sanded and new felt pieces glued on.

A final wipe with the wax cloth before turning the table over onto the legs.

The top now received its final wax coat.
Looks blotchy Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ………..

I had this same issue on one of the other tables. I can only attribute this to the final sanding being with a too fine grit sealing the pores.

Wiped the top with a rag saturated in meths and wiped the top a couple of times (boy was I starting to get high on the fumes ……………..)

Then a quick hand-sand with some 200 grit.

Now to wax with the Wooddoc furniture wax.

Stand the container in hot water so that the wax melts, shake & shake, then apply vigorously in a flood coat. Wait 10 to 15 mins and rub off. Repeat 5 times or until wax does not seem to penetrate any more.

Final buffing by hand with a soft cloth.

Does not look too shabby at all.

Table finished.JPG
Table finished
(99.21 KiB)


Job done, move table back to living room. (score lots of points!)

Completed.jpg
Table finished
(43.75 KiB)


Completed 2.jpg
Table finished
(43.46 KiB)



Thank you for patiently reading the story.
We don't stop woodworking because we grow old, we grow old because we stop woodworking!

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Re: Coffee Table Restore

Postby Phil » 11 Sep 2021, 13:39

thetyreman wrote:nice, looks amazing, much better than before, the natural colour is far more attractive.



Thanks.
The wife is also chuffed, more points!
We don't stop woodworking because we grow old, we grow old because we stop woodworking!

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Re: Coffee Table Restore

Postby Robert » 11 Sep 2021, 14:33

Good read that :)

Just wondering what you've done to the value. Must have increased it considerably.

Not the style of furniture that appeals to me but enjoyed seeing a job well done.

How long did it take you?
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Re: Coffee Table Restore

Postby Malc2098 » 11 Sep 2021, 15:11

Nice job.

I hope you put that shirt back in the wash. It looked perfectly wearable. ;)
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Re: Coffee Table Restore

Postby Rezi » 11 Sep 2021, 17:59

Great job, it looks new again.
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Re: Coffee Table Restore

Postby Phil » 12 Sep 2021, 07:42

Robert wrote:Good read that :)
Just wondering what you've done to the value. Must have increased it considerably.
Not the style of furniture that appeals to me but enjoyed seeing a job well done.
How long did it take you?


Robert, thanks.
When we pass on one day the kids will probably dump it at a second hand store and the cycle will start again.
Not sure how long it took. I started it middle May doing about an hour or so in the afternoons and finished middle June.
I have had some requests from other residents to fix/repair stuff for them. Politely turned it down as I still need to tackle my old Morris chair (the springs are breaking and one night I will be sitting on the floor!) and then the dining room chairs (8) and the table need some TLC.

I also fixed a half-round table, will post a short thread.


Malc2098 wrote:Nice job.
I hope you put that shirt back in the wash. It looked perfectly wearable. ;)


Thanks Malc.
The collar had frayed through and it was a bit too small for me.

Rezi wrote:Great job, it looks new again.

Thanks Steve
We don't stop woodworking because we grow old, we grow old because we stop woodworking!

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Re: Coffee Table Restore

Postby Lons » 12 Sep 2021, 12:47

Phil wrote:I hope you put that shirt back in the wash. It looked perfectly wearable. ;)

The collar had frayed through and it was a bit too small for me.


I find that these days as well - damn washing machine shrinks everything. :? :lol:

Great table save btw, you must have gained enough brownie points for a new shirt at the very least.
I have a degree in faffing about (It must be true, my wife says so)
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Re: Coffee Table Restore

Postby RogerM » 12 Sep 2021, 13:57

A cracking job Phil, and a very satisfying one I'm sure. Well done with the Brownie points :eusa-dance: Make sure you redeem them with a "double-up" clause! :lol:
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Re: Coffee Table Restore

Postby Phil » 18 Sep 2021, 11:00

Lons wrote:I find that these days as well - damn washing machine shrinks everything. :? :lol:
Great table save btw, you must have gained enough brownie points for a new shirt at the very least.


We cold water wash, and even the short trousers are shrinking, especially the waist area :lol: :lol:


RogerM wrote:A cracking job Phil, and a very satisfying one I'm sure.


Roger, thanks, it was definitely one of the better restores, and yes very satisfying.
We don't stop woodworking because we grow old, we grow old because we stop woodworking!

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