Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Dec 06, 2002 08:21am | #1

   The first thing I'd try is some orange oil.  I've used this quite a bit over the years on grimey pieces of furniture that I've gotten at various estate sales and auctions.  Now, keep in mind, I'm talking about orange oil.  Not these cleaners they've been advertising, with orange oil in them. 

   Use soft cloths.  Apply the orange oil and let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes, wipe it off.  If the piece is veneered, you'll have to be careful not to let it sit too long.  I've noticed that some sewing machines have pretty thin veneer.

   Turpentine might work on tough spots, but again you need to be careful lest it get underneath veneer.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

   
   

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   Edited 12/6/2002 12:23:36 AM ET by forest_girl

2. 
   Gretchen | Dec 06, 2002 04:02pm | #2

   You have a fun "antique". Don't worry about the RoadShow and value. Just get some mineral spirits and have at it.  This will not harm any finish.
   Another good thing to clean wood furniture with is a mixture of 1 quart VERY hot water, a couple of tablespoons each of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Scrub the furniture with this keeping the water hot and then buff dry. Apply a good coat of wax.I used to do this to all my furniture once a year--boy, those were my energetic young days.
   After you see what the wood looks like cleaned up you might want to use some Howard's REstor-a-Finish on it.  It will renew the finish and cover any nicks or blemishes. 

   Gretchen
1. 
   forestgirl | Dec 06, 2002 08:32pm | #3

   Gretchen, I'd be a bit leary of using hot water on something from the early 1900's, especially if it's veneered, which most of the sewing machines were.  Hide glue would not stand up well to such treatment, would it?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   Gretchen | Dec 06, 2002 10:38pm | #4

   you aren't soaking the furniture and the heat of the water is not that great on the wood.  You are just using it as a washing solution on a rag. It is a method from an antique refinishing book from many years ago.  It does work well.Gretchen

2. 
   Splintie | Dec 09, 2002 03:28am | #10

   ...a mixture of 1 quart VERY hot water, a couple of tablespoons each of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits.

   This seems on the face of it to be a queer mixture of oil and water based substances. Don't the oil/spirits float on the water?

   Another consideration would be raising grain if the finish is thinned in some areas.

   I'd also be loathe in the presence of tannins and ferrous hardware to introduce moisture.  

1. 
   Gretchen | Dec 15, 2002 05:59pm | #11

   To Paul, it is not a "polish" but a cleaner.

   To Splintie, yes it does not mix well--you need to keep it moving.Gretchen

3. 
   Alan | Dec 07, 2002 03:41am | #5

   Barry,

   I, too, would advise you to not use any water on it.  Water rarely does finished wood any good.  Even in small quantities water can do nasty things to furniture, old or new.  For example, if the sewing machine has a shellac finish, the water can make it cloudy, turn it a milky white; in addition to loosening the hide glue undoubtedly used on the veneer (old hide glue can be very problematic--there's no telling how thick the veneer might be, how porous it is, or how tenuous is the glue's hold on it) water can cause old veneer to buckle (DAMHIKT).  FG's suggestion of mineral spirits is better advice, though I would use naptha.

   Alan

4. 
   Paul_Snyder | Dec 07, 2002 03:41am | #6

   Barry - there's been a lot of discussion in the refinishing/restoration industry about the misleading message Antiques Roadshow has been sending to the viewing audience on the subject of refinishing. The editor of "Finishing and Restoration" magazine, Bob Flexner, has been in contact with the producers of the show and they are working on a show to clarify when it's proper to refinish, restore, or conserve a piece of furniture. The show has a brief article on this at this link - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/roadshow/series/behind/cook/2000/11.06.00.html

   In the meantime, you can rest assured that you can safely refinish the piece you have without fear of negatively affecting its value. If you do a nice job, you will probably increase its value. Many, many pieces finished around the turn of the century were done with a thick varnish that eventually turns black. The finish was so popular that many people at that time had their truly valuable antique pieces refinished with the thick varnish as the look was "modern" and therfore desirable.

   For your sewing machine, the best place to start is a good cleaning. If the finish is intact, you can clean & wax to preserve the piece in its present condition if you like or you can refinish if you prefer. The article at this link covers the steps to clean the finish - http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/savingfinish.htm

   Paul

   F'burg, VA

1. 
   Gretchen | Dec 07, 2002 03:44pm | #7

   Paul, definitely a voice of reason with regard to value and the Road Show.  Few of us are going to have these rarities. Also it becomes a question of what you can live with if you are going to have it in your home. If you find a chrome yellow pie safe from Pennsylvania and you don't like the color you probably should sell it  to a collector and get one you do like.  And folks you can take what I suggested about the washing solution as you like but it does work and it doesn't harm the finish.  And yes,the finish on old sewing machine covers probably is shellac.  I'll just clarify that you are using a DAMP cloth, not wet.Gretchen

1. 
   Paul_Snyder | Dec 08, 2002 09:17pm | #8

   Gretchen - I wouldn't use a drying oil, like boiled linseed oil, as an ingredient in polish. It looks good short term, but can cause some problems long term. Here's a quote from Don Williams, senior furniture conservator at the Smithsonian;

   "As drying oils age, they tend to become yellow or brown. Also, drying oils are chromogenic (they become colored) in the presence of acids. In this instance the oil adopts the dark, muddy brown/black opaque appearance so prevalent in antique furniture."

   Here's the entire article - http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/info5.html

   I figure it's better to avoid a possible long term problem to be on the safe side. If an antique was origianlly finished with shellac, then shellac is the best choice for restoration and a coat of paste wax is the best polish.Paul

   F'burg, VA

1. 
   BarryO | Dec 08, 2002 09:57pm | #9

   Thanks, guys, for all the helpful responses.

   After looking at it, eventually some level of refinishing will be needed.  Most of the finish seems to be in good shape.  But since these tables tend to be used as planter stands at some point, theres some water damage on the top (which appears to be a surprisingly think veneer).

1. 
   forestgirl | Dec 15, 2002 08:37pm | #12

   "which appears to be a surprisingly think [thin] veneer" -- yes, my point exactly.  This is why, IMO, one would want to be pretty careful about what's put on it to clean.  I've done sewing machines, sewing machine drawers, and a clock or two that had this "very thin" veneer and there often isn't much leeway between cleaning and de-laminating.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)