Renovate small antique table p.1
The inevitable "before and after" pictures!.
This small mahogany table ("coffee table") is not a fine antique but has some age (between 100 and 200 years estimated) and is an honest piece with a full width mahogany top. It was purchased some 5 years ago and has been used as the main eating/coffee/work table in a small London studio flat. It has suffered from staining from spilled comestibles and a few knocks. Because of its age and status, some sympathetic renovation was needed.
This is my kit of tools for renovating french polished pieces.Back Row
1. Hide Glue in liquid form. This preparation is liquid at room temperature and is easier to inject into joints without necessarily dismantling them. It also allows joints to be remade with the original type of glue without having to hurry. It does take longer to dry than the conventional hot version.
2. French Polish Reviver. This preparation is one part white vinegar, one part Methylated spirit (alcohol), one part pure turpentine, two parts raw linseed oil. This old recipe should also contain a small amount of "butter of antimony" but as it's highly toxic, biurns the skin and is probably unavailable even if I tried, I omit it. There are as many reviver recipes as there are restorers.
3. Garnet shallac. Used as a primer stainer for scraped wood. This gives a darker colour to old bared wood without the risk of stains being unevenly taken up. Any old french polish left in the wood fibres will generally take up the colour readily.
4. best Pale Polish - blond shellac which I use slightly diluted with meths. This will build up a body of polish with less chance of uneven colour for the amateur (i.e. me!)
5. Methylated Spirit, which I believe is also called Mineral Spirit in the USA, is alcohol made undrinkable by Her Majesty's excise men.
6. Talc or Talcum Powder. Smells nice, but is used to stop the fine wet/dry abrasive clogging with shellac.
Front Row
7. Hammer for bashing joints apart.
8. Denim, or can be hessian, for heavy duty rubbing.
9. Wood Block to protect wood around joints.
10. Wire wool 0000 grade (finest).
11. Tack Rag to remove dust after abrasion.
12. Wet/Dry paper around 400 grit upwards.
13. Vinyl disposable gloves - dozens of them!
14. (Not shown) cabinet scraper.
Definitely NOT in the kit are glasspaper, random orbit or belt sanders, or planes!
The extent of the staining is shown on this leg and side rail, though most of it seemed to be spills of tea etc, with some knocks. It is likely that some wire wooling will be needed to the side rails at least.
The construction of the table looks very old, using glue blocks rub-jointed between the table top and the side rails. One glue block is missing but has been so for some many years judging by the general dust. On closer inspection some of the legs were loose at the mortise joints, one moving about half an inch at the foot. Unfortunately some of the dirt "patina" will be lost during repairs, but by using the same kind of glue, the aged effect will be preserved. It is essential to make like-for-like repairs using original glues, and NEVER by using "better modern" glues, or using the "Chair Doctor (TM)" solutions, or by adding a couple of screws(!!). Someone else may want to dismantle the joints in another 200 years!
The worst damage was to the top. When purchased there was some dry cracking of the french polish and in use the spills have driven under the polish. White rings resulting from coffee mugs are evident, as is some darker staining, possible grease but hopefully just dirt or oxidation. If it is grease then acetone or similar will be needed, but dirt should scrape off.