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Author Topic: I restore life to old junk.  (Read 12279 times)

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Offline Teri

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I restore life to old junk.
« on: January 13, 2013, 08:18:55 AM »
It's a trash to treasure sort of thing I love to do.  I like taking old pieces of furniture and repurposing them.  My most recent project was an old sewing machine cabinet.  I cut the legs down and reshaped them, sanded and repainted it with a high gloss red paint and sealed with a poly coat.  I added some creative floral details and used it as a plant stand in my sun room.  People really notice those little accent pieces I've placed randomly throughout the house.

Once upon a time, I had to live on a pretty tight budget and started getting creative because I didn't have the money to go out an buy them.  Ever since then...even though I can afford them now...I'd rather create my own.

I've found that working with wood is good stress relieving therapy too.  I've made all kinds of things on my band saw like wooden teddy bears, cats, dogs that I've turned into door stops.  I don't have a pic of my own here, but I've seen others who've made them too...  Here's a pic of what they look like when I'm done.  Mine have two sets of legs with an oval insert in between them.  They look so cute holding a door open.  People love to get them for presents too.    

« Last Edit: January 13, 2013, 08:23:13 AM by Teri »
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Offline Jasonw560

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2013, 09:28:36 AM »
My wife does that, too. But instead of doing the cutesie stuff, she mainly repairs (or at least my FIL does), repaints it and gives it a "vintage" look to it. And people actually pay for it.
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Offline Undies

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2013, 10:42:24 AM »
Good craftfolks are always in demand (and appreciated).
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Offline marv

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2013, 10:56:32 AM »
On another forum, I posted about how I like to restore "old things", especially wood.

Here's a Japanese table I picked up for $150 at a flea market. Because of the slot head steel screws and the very ornate hand carving, I date it to pre-WW2.

Some damage, probably by a household pet.



Repaired with about $150 worth of walnut and stain I mixed.



And $400 for a new glass top with beveled edges, and it's in the living room.
.


Here's an Ansonio kitchen clock ca. 1840s, all original except for one piece of wood trim I had to fabricate. Keeps excellent time and chimes on the hour and half-hour.


[

And an M1842 "Mississippi" .69 calibre musket (above) with a ca. 1860 Belgian "Zulu" 20ga shotgun (below).



A M1868 .50/70 cavalry carbine. Only 342 were ever made by Springfield for troop trials, but were never adopted. Picked it up at a gun show for $20 because it had been used as a *gasp* 410ga shotgun!



Nothing ever gets "old"........
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Offline Teri

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2013, 11:13:23 AM »
Wow! Marv...those are beautiful!  Nice work! 
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Offline BEG

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2013, 11:34:24 AM »
Great job Marv. Add some pictures of your stuff Teri, I would love to see it.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2013, 11:41:10 AM by BEG »
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Offline Teri

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2013, 11:59:58 AM »
Quote from: BEG on January 13, 2013, 11:34:24 AM
Great job Marv. Add some pictures of your stuff Teri, I would love to see it.

I'll take some pics and try to load them soon.  I'm really an old fashioned type.  My sister makes fun of me and calls my style "granny chic"...LOL
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Offline Teri

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2013, 12:13:45 PM »
Here's a pic of a corner unit that both me and the hubby worked together on.  It's solid oak and there's a matching hutch that's not in that pic too along with the hanging corner unit.  I love wood furniture.  Notice one of my kitties on the other side of the table too. LOL 



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Offline Wineslob

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #8 on: January 14, 2013, 12:01:04 AM »
FFS, now ya'll gone and done it, givi'n BEG ideas.  :thatsright:
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Offline Teri

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #9 on: January 14, 2013, 06:33:35 AM »
That's one of the larger pieces we did, but I don't have any pics of the small accent pieces I've done yet.  I'll get them up later when I have the time though.  The table and chairs was more of a restoration project instead of repurposing project.  They were in pretty bad shape when we got them.
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Offline CactusCarlos

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #10 on: January 14, 2013, 10:58:51 AM »
Nice work Teri!
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Offline BEG

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #11 on: January 14, 2013, 05:45:58 PM »
Quote from: Wineslob on January 14, 2013, 12:01:04 AM
FFS, now ya'll gone and done it, givi'n BEG ideas.  :thatsright:

 :-)
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Offline whiffleball

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #12 on: January 15, 2013, 06:49:39 AM »
What did you guys use to refinish the wood and how did you do it?  There's an old hard rock maple two piece hutch, dining table and chairs of my Mom's that are crying for facelifts.  I need to get the old layers of wax and buildup off.
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Offline Dblhaul

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Re: I restore life to old junk.
« Reply #13 on: January 22, 2013, 10:48:59 PM »
Looks great Teri!

I love to work on all sorts of things. From Harleys to old fly rods!
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