Hi,
Many thanks David for your generosity in kindly giving me this set and also for your continued support. The Barker is finally finished as I've just put it all back together and taken more pictures. It sure looks a lot different to the set you gave me David and it's only taken about three weeks in total during which time I thought the world and the set was against me completing this project.
I've suffered terrible weather preventing me from working on the set some days because it was too depressing; family illness which of course takes precedence and is now thankfully history; various interruptions and the set itself constantly at war with me; I can't even add this post without more upset; the virus in the computer completely took over Google Chrome so in effect broke the Internet connection; I've just had to run the Virgin Media CD to connect to the Internet but now I'm using Virgin as my browser; nothing and I mean nothing is going to prevent me posting the final part of this restoration because I won't give in.
All my restoration projects throw up lots of problems and this Barker really made me work to gain success but what joy it gives when after a prolonged fight a restoration turns out like this one. I only ever intended this project to be an experiment and learning curve because I didn't even know if I could lay Burr Walnut around around a curve in fact I had doubts about laying this on a flat panel using the hot hide glue with hammer method. I've not found any details on the web showing it being done this way neither did I find any videos on "You tube".
Just because I couldn't find any information didn't mean it couldn't be done but for me there was only one way to find out and this was to have a go. The materials didn't cost a great deal and if the Burr Walnut was destroyed I would only lose £29. The alcohol; veneering tape and other items bought will last for many such restorations so for such small outlay I've had a great deal of fun and frustration.
Normally I would say if I can do a project such as this then anyone can because in real terms I'm still very much a novice. In my favour I've had some previous practice both with veneering and French polishing allowing me to gain valuable knowledge and experience; I even successfully veneered the curve on the Ekco T311 TV I restored but this was whilst using more controllable veneer. I doubt a complete novice would succeed if attempting to veneer for the first time using Burr Walnut but if like me the novice starts on easier projects then it doesn't take long to become more proficient with the techniques involved; I learn from each project as I have from this one.
For me the way to learn is to simply get stuck in and make all the silly mistakes; there is nothing to be scared about after all this project only involved bits of veneer and sloshing some shellac on with a brush but the finish is in the detail and although I say at times I could have destroyed this cabinet I have over the years gained a lot of restraint and patience. I certainly wasn't born with restraint or patience as both have been hard won.
I've tried to add a lot of detail and information as this project progressed; one thng I've tried to avoid is to make it look easy only showing when things were going right but I've added the problems I've faced and the solutions I came up with along the way. Every project is different but given the number of problems encountered I think it fair to say most veneering projects would be easier than this one.
I've now achieved what I set out to do and even though this was only an experiment I've ended up with a rather nice set to add to my collection but the main gain has been in knowledge and experience; this has been another stepping stone for me and as yet I'm undecided regarding my next project; I still wish to make the inlay fan motif just to see if I can do it and I'll add the story as it unfolds.
Today I've painted the inside and the back panel using "Black Magic" paint; this paint dries to a matt finish and was a pleasure to use; the pictures of the back panel show the original finish of the panel but with a single coat of this paint what a difference?
Inside painted and original back finsh.
I tried buffing the Bakelite knobs in my hands whilst standing in the workshop but it was very tedious so I put my Eskimo gear on and went into the garage; it only took a few minutes to chuck a short 1/4" diameter rod in the wood-turning lathe then spin the knobs at speed bringing up a lovely shine.
The liquid paraffin applied to the cabinet has now dried back giving a matt finish but in a few days I might go over with some furniture wax to bring back the satin glow. I think it looks well as it is as it doesn't look factory fresh.
For anyone interested in veneering for the first time please don't be put off by the problems I've descibed; select a simple cabinet and use plain but decent veneer which will behave something like "Sapele" which is very easy to match the grain and to lay; once the basics are picked up then more ambitious projects can be tackled. There is little to lose but look at this Barker for a result in spite of most things going wrong; I'm no one special and I don't have any special skills; I think the mistakes I made have proved this as I now stand back and look at this set I say to myself "How the heck did I do this". Believe me with only a bit of practice you too could do such work.
Thanks everyone for your kind praise and support during this restoration; I've enjoyed it.
Kind regards, Col.
The original Barker and how it now is.
Many thanks David for your generosity in kindly giving me this set and also for your continued support. The Barker is finally finished as I've just put it all back together and taken more pictures. It sure looks a lot different to the set you gave me David and it's only taken about three weeks in total during which time I thought the world and the set was against me completing this project.
I've suffered terrible weather preventing me from working on the set some days because it was too depressing; family illness which of course takes precedence and is now thankfully history; various interruptions and the set itself constantly at war with me; I can't even add this post without more upset; the virus in the computer completely took over Google Chrome so in effect broke the Internet connection; I've just had to run the Virgin Media CD to connect to the Internet but now I'm using Virgin as my browser; nothing and I mean nothing is going to prevent me posting the final part of this restoration because I won't give in.
All my restoration projects throw up lots of problems and this Barker really made me work to gain success but what joy it gives when after a prolonged fight a restoration turns out like this one. I only ever intended this project to be an experiment and learning curve because I didn't even know if I could lay Burr Walnut around around a curve in fact I had doubts about laying this on a flat panel using the hot hide glue with hammer method. I've not found any details on the web showing it being done this way neither did I find any videos on "You tube".
Just because I couldn't find any information didn't mean it couldn't be done but for me there was only one way to find out and this was to have a go. The materials didn't cost a great deal and if the Burr Walnut was destroyed I would only lose £29. The alcohol; veneering tape and other items bought will last for many such restorations so for such small outlay I've had a great deal of fun and frustration.
Normally I would say if I can do a project such as this then anyone can because in real terms I'm still very much a novice. In my favour I've had some previous practice both with veneering and French polishing allowing me to gain valuable knowledge and experience; I even successfully veneered the curve on the Ekco T311 TV I restored but this was whilst using more controllable veneer. I doubt a complete novice would succeed if attempting to veneer for the first time using Burr Walnut but if like me the novice starts on easier projects then it doesn't take long to become more proficient with the techniques involved; I learn from each project as I have from this one.
For me the way to learn is to simply get stuck in and make all the silly mistakes; there is nothing to be scared about after all this project only involved bits of veneer and sloshing some shellac on with a brush but the finish is in the detail and although I say at times I could have destroyed this cabinet I have over the years gained a lot of restraint and patience. I certainly wasn't born with restraint or patience as both have been hard won.
I've tried to add a lot of detail and information as this project progressed; one thng I've tried to avoid is to make it look easy only showing when things were going right but I've added the problems I've faced and the solutions I came up with along the way. Every project is different but given the number of problems encountered I think it fair to say most veneering projects would be easier than this one.
I've now achieved what I set out to do and even though this was only an experiment I've ended up with a rather nice set to add to my collection but the main gain has been in knowledge and experience; this has been another stepping stone for me and as yet I'm undecided regarding my next project; I still wish to make the inlay fan motif just to see if I can do it and I'll add the story as it unfolds.
Today I've painted the inside and the back panel using "Black Magic" paint; this paint dries to a matt finish and was a pleasure to use; the pictures of the back panel show the original finish of the panel but with a single coat of this paint what a difference?
Inside painted and original back finsh.
I tried buffing the Bakelite knobs in my hands whilst standing in the workshop but it was very tedious so I put my Eskimo gear on and went into the garage; it only took a few minutes to chuck a short 1/4" diameter rod in the wood-turning lathe then spin the knobs at speed bringing up a lovely shine.
The liquid paraffin applied to the cabinet has now dried back giving a matt finish but in a few days I might go over with some furniture wax to bring back the satin glow. I think it looks well as it is as it doesn't look factory fresh.
For anyone interested in veneering for the first time please don't be put off by the problems I've descibed; select a simple cabinet and use plain but decent veneer which will behave something like "Sapele" which is very easy to match the grain and to lay; once the basics are picked up then more ambitious projects can be tackled. There is little to lose but look at this Barker for a result in spite of most things going wrong; I'm no one special and I don't have any special skills; I think the mistakes I made have proved this as I now stand back and look at this set I say to myself "How the heck did I do this". Believe me with only a bit of practice you too could do such work.
Thanks everyone for your kind praise and support during this restoration; I've enjoyed it.
Kind regards, Col.
The original Barker and how it now is.
Happiness is a wreck of a cabinet to restore.
