To Refinish or Restore? That is the “Question of the Week”

July 28, 2008 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | 7 Comments 

This week’s question comes from Kyle who writes:
Lately I’ve been working on refinishing an old dresser. It’s been in my family for a long time and has been abused pretty badly. But since it was a family heirloom, it was like pulling teeth to convince my mom to let me restore it. I’ve seen your episodes on refinishing and I know about your experience in the field. I was just wondering if you could tell me what kind of things ruin the value of a piece and why you think there are so many refinishing “haters” out there. If a piece is in bad shape is it still more valuable than if an ambitious woodworker like myself made it look good again?

And this was my response:
Hey Kyle. From what I have seen, there are definitely two types of refinishing out there. You have the utilitarian version, which I am familiar with, which simply takes an old beat up piece of furniture and makes it serviceable and beautiful. This includes doing any necessary repairs, stripping off the old finish, possibly re-staining, and of course, applying a new finish of choice. The second type of refinishing is actually true “restoration”. This is a much more involved process that requires careful attention to detail and a boat-load of know-how. While I can’t tell you exactly how to maintain the value of an antique, I am sure it has a lot to do with keeping the original finish intact and doing spot repairs with period-accurate materials. Anyone in that industry could probably recite a long list of do’s and dont’s.

So at a point like this, you have a few questions to ask yourself (and your mother). Is this piece ever going to be sold? Is it highly valued by your mom simply because its “valuable” or is it an emotional attachment by virtue of its service in your family for so long? Also, it might be nice to know if the piece even has substantial value as an antique. Perhaps you should have it appraised before making a final call. You see Kyle, you could refinish that piece and make it look better than it did on the day it was created, but as a result you may very well (and most likely will) destroy its value as an antique.

As an aside, I will tell you that out of all of my videos (over 60 now), the one that I receive the most complaints and corrections about is the refinishing series. I suppose its my fault for not explicitly stating that this was not meant to be “Antique Restoration 101″. I had explicit instructions from the owners of that table and I did exactly what they wanted. An old decrepit table was pulled out of the back of a garage and was restored for sentimental value. The table would never be sold or even appraised. The customer simply wanted the table to match the color scheme of her current decor so that she could enjoy the same table her mother had enjoyed for so many years before her. Monetary value was irrelevant.

So really, this is a personal decision for you and your family. But to answer your question directly, even a beautiful refinishing job can completely destroy the value of an antique. Hope that helps.


Swelling Dovetails? - Question of the Week

July 21, 2008 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | 6 Comments 

This week’s question comes from Ben who asks: Why do my dovetails dry fit perfectly - but when I go to glue them up, they no longer fit flush? It’s cheap pine (this is a test project) - and I’m using a dovetail jig: if that helps? Any suggestions?

And this was my response:

Hey Ben. My guess is that the dovetails are sucking up some moisture from the glue and swelling a bit, leading to a change in the actual fit. That means that if left alone for some time, the swelling would go down and they might get close to flush again. That being said, I very rarely shoot for perfectly flush dovetails anyway. I always aim to have my dovetails a little proud. This way, after the glue dries, I can flush them to the surface. If you aim for perfectly flush, you might wind up slightly under, which means you now have to sand or plane the entire board to get a flush fit, which of course brings with it a whole series of problems. But if you aim to be slightly proud and you wind up a little short of your target, the worst that can happen is the dovetails will be nearly flush. And if you are slightly over your target, a few extra swipes with the block plane are all you need to remedy the situation. Hope that helps.

*** Anyone else have some slick tips for perfectly-fitting dovetails?***

Tools For A New Woodworker? - Question of the Week

July 14, 2008 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | 22 Comments 

This week’s question comes from Allan who writes:   I am interested in woodworking but scared of buying a crap ton of tools and sucking at it. Can you please tell me what I should buy to get started?  Thanks.

And here is my response:

When you are getting started, tool-buying decisions can be very daunting. To make matters worse, this is the worst possible time to buy your tools. You are just now learning about different aspects of the craft and your personal preferences, how can you be expected to know which tools to buy?!?! Not to mention if you decide you don’t really like woodworking, you don’t want to deal with the hassle of selling all of these recently purchased tools (although I have gotten some great deals this way, haha). So there are a few things I recommend doing. The first is to take classes. In a class setting, you will get some hands on time. This will not only tell you what tools you will need/want, but will also tell you what aspects of woodworking you really enjoy. Some folks like making big cabinets, so they need bigger tools to get the job done. Other folks fall in love with turning, scrolling, or intarsia, all of which require a smaller set of tools. And still others decide they want to go the non-power tool route and use hand planes and chisels for all of their work. So purchasing anything real expensive at this point would probably be inadvisable. Find a local woodworking store, or better yet a college or institution that gives woodworking classes. Knowing what you want to make and what tools are required to make them is the first step in coming up with a purchase plan that is appropriate for you.

I know that advice is a little abstract, but its advice I wish I had when I first started. Could have saved me lots of money. I would be more than happy to help you with specific tool choices as you progress.

***** Now I know you guys have some concrete suggestions for someone just starting out. Let’s here ‘em! *****

Great reference articles from FineWoodworking.com:
Getting Started in Woodworking - Check out Video #2
Soup Up a Flea Market Chisel
Evaluating Low Cost Chisels

Professional Cuts From Inexpensive Tools? - Question of the Week

July 7, 2008 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | 18 Comments 

This week’s question comes from Ben who writes:

I am using craftsman shop tools - Table saw, scroll saws, drill press, planer, ect and I’m finding my cuts are not as perfect as I’d like. How can I get professional cuts w/ unprofessional tools ($ is always an issue) - should I be buying $90 blades or are my 20 dollar ones ok?

And here was my response:

Hey Ben. You certainly can get acceptable results with inexpensive tools. I know some amazing artists and woodworkers that produce mind-blowing quality, without the help of higher end tooling. It comes down to sharp blades, properly tuned tools, and solid techniques. The great part about this is that those three things DO NOT have to put a strain on the budget. Doing your homework, reading, and practicing will cover you in the technique area. A decent square and a ruler that measures down to 1/64″ should cover most of your tuning needs. And a small set of waterstones will keep most of your tools sharp.

Now the table saw blade is an excellent question. That’s one place where I truly believe a few extra bucks will give you much better quality cuts, and save you money in the long run. A high quality blade (Forrest, Tenryu or Freud Fusion for example) will run you between $85 and $100, depending on the vendor and any sales. An average big box store blade will run you $15-$35. Now the cheaper blade will give you decent results initially, but I have found that they tend to dull faster than the higher quality blades. And when it does dull, depending on the blade, you might not even be able to have it sharpened. The high quality blades are made with big carbide teeth that can handle years worth of sharpening. And with sharpening running about $20, you can see how the math will work out in your favor over the years.

I find the same thing goes for other blades and bits. You don’t necessarily need to go for the top of the line, but you will usually save money in the long run if you stay away from the brands and product offerings that are considered more or less “disposable”, and your cut quality will improve as well.
———–
I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. What tricks and tips have you learned for getting the most out of your more budget-friendly tools?

Shellac as a Wiping Finish? - Question of the Week

June 30, 2008 | Filed Under Blog, Question of the Week | Leave a Comment 

This week’s question comes from Austin who writes:
I have a couple questions on shellac. I want to use it as a wipe finish for the inside of drawers. How much should I dilute a 3lb cut? Or a 2lb cut? haha i’m a little confused how you get a 2lb or a 3lb cut. I also heard Charles Niel say that you need dewaxed shellac, How important is this? P.S. i really liked your finishing video, thanks!

And my response:

Hey Austin. Shellac is a good choice for the inside of a drawer. Dewaxed or waxy shellac will work just fine, if its the only finish you plan on applying. If you are going to coat the shellac with a polyurethane (which doesn’t make much sense for the inside of a drawer), you probably want to avoid waxy shellac because of adhesion issues. But most woodworkers just stock dewaxed shellac since it is the safest bet in all applications. As for the dilutions, that can get a little confusing. If you are mixing from flakes, you might want to invest in a cheap kitchen scale. Measuring by weight is definitely the most accurate way to go. But to tell you the truth, I just do approximations and I find it easier in many cases to start with Bullseye Sealcoat (2lb cut). That stuff is good to go right out of the can. But if you have trouble applying it (gets sticky too fast), just dilute it a bit with denatured alcohol until it stays wet longer. Now if you buy the Bullseye Shellac (not SealCoat), you are dealing with a 3lb cut WITH wax in it. So you probably want to dilute it down with alcohol so that its closer to a 2 lb cut. This is where things can be a little tricky. Because of the fact that the “pound cuts” actually represent a unit of weight/volume, it not a trivial affair if you want exact formulations. So if you want to be a little pickier than I tend to be, check out this article from FineWoodworking.com: Mixing Shellac

Also, check out this great video from our buddy Charles Neil.

« Previous Page — Next Page »