Look at this — only 300 years old and already needs fixin’. I saw this oak table during a tour of an old manor house in Southern England recently.
Discussion Forum
Get It All!
UNLIMITED Membership is like taking a master class in woodworking for less than $10 a month.
Start Your Free TrialCategories
Discussion Forum
Digital Plans Library
Member exclusive! – Plans for everyone – from beginners to experts – right at your fingertips.
Highlights
-
Shape Your Skills
when you sign up for our emails
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. -
Shop Talk Live Podcast -
Our favorite articles and videos -
E-Learning Courses from Fine Woodworking
-
-
Replies
I always recommend Bondo. After painting, you can barely see where the repair took place.
Oh, come on. You never want to paint something like that. Start with 60 grit and work your way up to 4000 grit using your Porter Cable detail sander. Then apply 72 coats of polyurethane. And don't forget the new set of casters. :)
Paul
First thing i'd do is chop off that breadboard end bec you can see how it's split the table top. Some slow-setting epoxy and some Bessey K-body clamps ought to pull it together. In any case, you have to fix that before the 72 coats of poly. (Though really, just a single coat of Rustoleum would make it look like new again and you could use it al fresco, a big bonus during the summer months.)
What are ColeBearAnimals?Please read this disclaimer which is an integral part of my post: Do not copy, print, or use my posts without my express written consent. My posts are not based on fact. My posts are merely my written opinions, fiction, or satire none of which are based on fact unless I expressly state in writing that a statement is a fact by use of the word "fact." No one was intended to be harmed in the making of this post.
Hey Poster,
Colebearanimals is a screen name my kids came up with when I started doing the ebay thing about 12 years ago. Cole and bear were 2 kittens we had at the time and we all enjoy the various animals we have. So, I use it for all my computer ID's.
Paul
In England we don't use "Bondo" as it is likey to be confused with, you know, 007. Have you ever heard: "Bondo. James Bondo"? Hell no!
The only reason you've never heard of James Bondo is that he used to manage the "Herb Maidens" before the name change. He came THAT CLOSE to being a household word!
Jimma,
when mixing, James (tm) bondo should be shaken, not stirred.
Ray
Come on guys, everyone knows yellow carpenter's glue and sawdust. In case you don't get enough sawdust from belt-sanding the top, you should have peanut butter jars of sawdust, sorted by wood species, available in your workshop. This was a published "reader's tip" recently.
Which made me wonder, when the tipster dies, heirs are asking, "Just why did grandpa save all these peanut butter jars of sawdust -- maple, cherry, red oak, walnut, pine,..."
If that guy would of used hi moisture meter we wouldnt have to woorry about bondo
I guess that I should't complain I can't even spell.
I don't think those are checks, I think a major sword fight took place in the same room with that table.
Ron Brese
http://www.breseplane.com
Are you sure it was in southern England and not in the "Check" Republic?
Ken
Edited 6/25/2007 11:29 pm ET by kenshep
Did they have Home Depot in England in the sixteenth century???
There had to be a Home Depot back then . Where do you think the nice lumber came from to build that?
Paul
ps seriously, though, if that table could talk I bet it would have a story or two.
Edited 6/26/2007 12:12 pm ET by colebearanimals
TABLES WOULD TALKIt would talk about any crackpot who'll try to patch a 300 year old museum piece Next they'll Bondo ™ the Liberty Bell or, Re-plumb that tower in Pisa Maybe, take that smirk off Mona Lisa's face???
All laudable projects, but first things first. The Venus de Milo has been missing her arms for far too long. Let's save some of that Bondo to make her some new ones, then we can epoxy them on. If we do it right, she would be holding a Festool Domino, just like she was originally. It's well documented that the ancient Greeks used the tool widely."Light the lamp, not the rat! Light the lamp, not the rat!!"
Rizzo the Rat, A Muppet Christmas Carol
That just shows to go ya that they didn't have a Sawstop, or else she wouldn't be missing her arms!
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 6/26/2007 1:40 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
Those aren't cracks, they're age lines. And leave them alone! A light coat of conservator's wax only. Sheesh.... don't any of you watch Antiques Road Show?
No way to the epoxy or bondo !! Gotta be gorilla glue, at least it has texture and it's not too heavy.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
I know a few plumbers who could use plenty of that crack filler. All replies and transactions to this post must be strictly "UNDER THE TABLE"
Edited 6/26/2007 6:39 pm ET by Steinmetz
Hey man, not just plumbers. Have you been to the beach lately?
Paul
I was brought up to believe that that area of the anatomy is where "The sun don't shine"
Prolly due to the massave amounts of Sun block required? Stein.
We've missed the ultimate repair. Through holes drilled perpendicular to the cracks. Lengths of all thread, nuts and washers will close those cracks up tight! No need to thank me.ONWARD! THROUGH THE FOG.
Chuck
Jimma,
People got cracks and we think they're perfectly lovely!
If it was in my shop I'd make a very small thong out of some really nice pigskin leather (preferrably black) and consider the job finished.
furndr
OK. You guys are "cracking" me up with your -- er -- wise"cracks".
Wait a minute folks. Those cracks are designed into the legs for the kids to put their gum in when having dinner.
Yesthere was gum back in those days! It was called spruce gum.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Jim,
Good to hear from you again. Sorry about the cracks in your table. Too bad that the others on Knots don't take it seriously enough. I would just put a wedge in the big crack and tap it with a heavy hammer to completely split the leg. Then the way to go is to use your Festool Domino to make a perfect joint that will be almost invisible and will never split again.
Hope that helps.
By the way, I have developed a new glue to use with the Domino. It will go by the brand name of "Sugar". I think that Domino Sugar will sell well.
Have fun.
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Hi, Mel. That would mean fixing it with sweet equity?
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled