Maggie’s The Wood Shop

So March 18th, 2021....

20210318_205944.jpg


I drunkenly grab this at a buddies with tales of saving it...

20210318_205924.jpg


A nail and a red shop rag were stuffed in the handle. If not the pickaxe head fell of the end of the handle.
20240915_232209.jpg


His dad, got it from his dad. He used it as a young ditch digger. Got put away 20 years ago in the corner of the shop.

So me being me..

September 2nd, 2024...


I Finally fucking finish it..

20240902_121138.jpg
20240915_181807.jpg
20240915_181843.jpg
20240902_121058.jpg



I'm not doing the math on that, but I don't think he even knows I have it at this point..
Don't know how many coats of linseed oil is on it. Had a 1 year cure at one point. Then added more.
I shouldn't have added this last coat as thick as I did without wiping it. But I'll 0000 wool it to dry and wipe it down one last time.

A new red shop rags been cut and fit to the head, along with the original nail, fire blued. Then the head re set. It'll be a display on the wall thing. But it's solid and I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

Honestly after remembering polyurethane clear exists I should have just hit it with 3 coats of blo and then polyurethane to build up the rest.
 
This one was a pain in the butt. In college (yes I know how old I am) and had to make a model of one of the relationship models. Stairs seemed easiest. I made it out of left over pergo on my borrowed FIL tablesaw. Pergo was harder because I can't sand the outside after it is glued to smooth out any misalignment. No nails or screws. Just glued together. Had label maker labels on it just long enough for class. Going to serve as a spice rack.
20240930_060046.jpg
20240929_123528.jpg
20241001_102418.jpg

20241004_180108.jpg
 
Listened to this this week. Guest has her doctorate in wood.

Article she wrote.
 
My dad and I started sanding on thei Gustav Stickley Morris Chair BITD
I let it sit for 10+ years in my basement.
Thinking of giving it to my daughter. Any advice on how to get is as close to OG finish without a full refinishing job? Product? Procedure.
 

Attachments

  • morris.JPG
    morris.JPG
    561 KB · Views: 50
  • Like
Reactions: brianf
Question for you guys making cutting boards, why do most not router a juice groove/blood channel? It’s something I’ve wondered every time I cut into a medium rare tri-tip or roast. Just curious.

Awesome work btw. You gentlemen are true craftsmen.
 
My dad and I started sanding on thei Gustav Stickley Morris Chair BITD
I let it sit for 10+ years in my basement.
Thinking of giving it to my daughter. Any advice on how to get is as close to OG finish without a full refinishing job? Product? Procedure.

I’d think the finish would be some sort of penetrating oil, nothing with “poly shell”.

If I am right, and I’m probably not, I’d refinish by cleaning with more oil.

Lot of old oil finish rifle stocks get ruined by thinking they have to be stripped and sanded when all they need is cleaning with fresh oils to remove any crud.

That old patina is going to glow and the new finish will blend any scratches and make them disappear.

Sanding would remove what took decades to create.
 
Listened to this this week. Guest has her doctorate in wood.

Article she wrote.
Thanks for that. I was actually just looking into making some bowls/plates for my kids to use. We are trying to get away completely from eating off of plastic. I was wary of putting mineral oil on them as a finish since it’s a man made petroleum product, and was considering an olive oil/beeswax finish. Think I may just skip the finish all together now.

Going to try and carve them out of some thick pieces of scrap oak I have.

Anyone have any recommendations for some good gouges that are not Chinese or Taiwanese in origin that won’t break the bank too bad?
 
Thanks Pmclaine....the issue is we started to sand the top of the arm rest. Do you think that woyld help the patina we removed blend into the og finish a bit?
 
Thanks Pmclaine....the issue is we started to sand the top of the arm rest. Do you think that woyld help the patina we removed blend into the og finish a bit?
It really doesn’t look bad in the photo. I’d just reupholster and call it good if you’re trying keep the patina.

If you completely refinish you can match the colors, but not the patina. I’d start with minwax golden oak as the base color and use either minwax black or minwax dark walnut to mixed with the golden oak to match the darker parts.

It’ll take some experimentation to get there.
 
It really doesn’t look bad in the photo. I’d just reupholster and call it good if you’re trying keep the patina.

If you completely refinish you can match the colors, but not the patina. I’d start with minwax golden oak as the base color and use either minwax black or minwax dark walnut to mixed with the golden oak to match the darker parts.

It’ll take some experimentation to get there.
Thanks, I think the more I fuck with it the more I decrease the value. I will for sure get some cool new cushions, I would like some sort of oil or other product to rub on the arms we sanded to help belend but not "Rrfinish"
 
Thanks, I think the more I fuck with it the more I decrease the value. I will for sure get some cool new cushions, I would like some sort of oil or other product to rub on the arms we sanded to help belend but not "Rrfinish"
It’s hard to tell from the one photo. Can you post photos of the part you sanded, and transition from the sanded portion to the original finish? Good, close up, detailed photos?
 
I’d say it’s probably a shellac and varnish finish over stain. Put a hot coffee cup on it, and if it leaves a ring it’s likely garbage ass lacquer.

Both easy finishes to do. If I could see it in person I doubt it would be overly difficult to replicate the original color and finish.

Hard to tell from the photo though. Quality close ups are needed, especially the transition area from the sanded portion to the original finish. If it’s an oil finish then it’ll be easy peasy.

ETA: Also, close ups for worn spots on the edges of the original finish on the back post would help. The worn/exposed wood along the edges of the vertical back post contrasts with the shine of the unworn sides of the back post leads me to believe it is not linseed oil. Tung oil maybe, but it was production furniture so I doubt it’s pure tung due to time required to finish it. However, it comes from a time where quality was also as important as quantity so it could be tung, lol.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Ric O'shay
@Ric O'shay , some people don't like Murphy's Oil Soap, but I've seen it clean and restore some nasty old furniture, back to where it actually looked pretty good. It would be worth a try, before you go on to more drastic efforts. @BJames , I don't cut juice grooves, because, to be honest, you don't need them. Also, the best way to f up a beautiful finished board, is by f'ing up while cutting the groove. Don't need it, not cutting it.
 
@Ric O'shay , some people don't like Murphy's Oil Soap, but I've seen it clean and restore some nasty old furniture, back to where it actually looked pretty good. It would be worth a try, before you go on to more drastic efforts. @BJames , I don't cut juice grooves, because, to be honest, you don't need them. Also, the best way to f up a beautiful finished board, is by f'ing up while cutting the groove. Don't need it, not cutting it.

What about when you do a big brisket?
16 hrs on the smoker, 2-3 hr rest, the juices flow.

Or just make a big mess on the counter?

I dont have a large enough jelly roll pan to put a brisket size cutting board in to catch.

For my game butchering, just a gonna get a big commercial plastic one. 48” x 30”.
We will also use it for homemade bacon and sausage making, as well as chicken butchering, so nice to bleach it.
 
Thanks, I think the more I fuck with it the more I decrease the value. I will for sure get some cool new cushions, I would like some sort of oil or other product to rub on the arms we sanded to help belend but not "Rrfinish"
I’m a Neanderthal with wood, a one trick pony, when your only tool is hand rubbed oil, all wood looks like it needs hand rubbed penetrating oil.

Never wax just more oil and rubbing

Get that chair fixed up, buy a red satin smoking jacket with velvet lapels and huge Great Dane.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Ric O'shay
@powdahound76 , we smoke meat, so I understand what you are saying. I can make good size boards, and good meat can make a mess. Keep a roll of paper towels at the standby!

Fortunately, besides that and good planning, my live in house keeper does a fine job cleaning and is one of those who actually likes it.
So weird.

And yes, she slaps me when I call her that. As she should.
She does call me the “live in foot massage guy” and “chef” so its pretty fair game.

Working on a “BBQ table” plan too, as I need some space between all the ways I cook (charcoal/lump, gas grill, old Traeger) as most done have space for all the stuff I set up/do when Im out there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 502Chevelle