I am currently working on a cedar chest, while it is old, it has more value to a family member rather than an “Antiques / Roadshow” TV spot. I’m curious to know from other people, to what extent they go to bring the piece back to original condition, for instance, bring back crisp straight lines, repair dents,gouges and curves, etc. This piece is the worst I’ve seen yet. But it is a very nice piece and worth the time to restore. I’ve been doing this type of work for 20+ years but am a new user to these types of forums. The knowledge here is vast and extremely useful. Any thoughts would be welcome.
Thanks, Rick
PS I will say, I have been very fortunate to be paid very nicely for my work, and to my embarrassment, more than the final stated bill.
Replies
Ask your client their expectations.
How do they want to see the piece.
Will cleaning it and re-gluing loose pieces be enough.
Or do you need to disassemble, make new parts, clean and refinish?
I usually try to adress the problem areas, stabilize the piece (re-glue, replace missing structural, re-build parts), then clean and wax.
It's a real judgement call on your part. But if the owener wants it "Nice and shiny" then give them what they want.
J.P.
JP
Thank you for your response to my questions. Will definitely look at the next project from that perspective.
Thanks, Rick
rickww
my first question is whether the owner plans to use it or not. If it needs structural repairs to carry weight, for example, then new parts will be used, to match as closely as possible. It its for show, than clean, touch-up and minor details.
For a chest like this, I would not consider it necessary to fill in gouges, etc. When the finish is off and the sanding is done, the finish will nicely cover these partially and make them "character marks" in my opinion.
If it were a gouge in the middle of the dining table, it would be different.
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