Miriam,

Wilbur will be in our thoughts and prayers. Joe

Hi everyone,
I just picked up a 99K, not bad, but the clear coat has problems, kind of looks like alligator skin in parts? Came in a cabinet, which I figured out was a blonde cabinet, the top was sanded, and stained but it did not end up nice. On the legs it looks like the stain/finish, is just flaking off. I will take pictures later today.
I am curious what other ways are there to finish a cabinet, that look good?
I was doing a search and found different ideas, has anyone tried something like this?
http://offbeathome.com/2011/03/sewing-machine-desk
Anamaria

Kat,

If you are buying that machine for yourself forget the financial value. Other than insurance it's really just a waste of time worrying about it. When repairing the wood, you have a lot of leeway to work with. Last June my SIL in Indiana gave me a Singer treadle machine and cabinet. Whoever gave it to her had used it for an aquarium stand. The veneer on the hinged top cover was falling off, the ends of the cabinet were separating from the wood underneath and cracking as well.
I used a hack saw blade and worked Elmer's Wood Glue Max between the separated areas then clamped them down real good. I was able to save the deck of the cabinet.
There were also many other places where the veneer was separating from the wood beneath. Those I put back together with a plastic credit card used to push the glue between the layers and clamps. Clamps are your friend.

I decided to replace the veneer on the hinged top lid rather than repair it. I believe that was a mistake in this instance. Had I simply glued it back down I could have sanded it and filled in the few missing pieces and the end results would have been no worse than the veneer I used. Possibly better.

I wasn't trying to "restore" the cabinet, but to refurbish it back to functional condition while still retaining it's old appearance.

I think I succeeded for the most part. As soon as I'm finished I'll post a thread on it.

Joe

Here is another idea,
http://www.twotwenty-one.com/2012/01...-makeover.html
And I think this would work for a cabinet too.
http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2011...-peacock-blue/
What do you all think of painting a cabinet?? I wouldn't do this to my parlor cabinet! But, maybe would be a good option for a basic cabinet?

Blasphemy! Blasphemy I tell you! :)

I suppose they could look pretty nice, though I personally wouldn't do it unless we move. One of the things that drew us to our current house was that most of the woodwork had never been painted. If I lived in a modern house I'd probably consider it.

Yes, I know that is what I was thinking (Blasphemy!) Just trying to figure out an option for this new cabinet, it is so cute, simple and small. I wanted to stick with water based products, and my experience level with stripping is zero.

I've had way too much experience stripping paint (and some varnish). It's not really terribly difficult but the only things I've found that really do the job are caustics based or methylene chloride based. The first will degrade wood - lye is used in the pulping process to break down wood fiber when making paper - the last off-gasses carbon monoxide. I usually end up using the methylene chloride ones and just do it outside (not in the garage - outside) and leave the area while it's working. I've had good luck putting plastic wrap (Saranwrap) over it to keep it from drying out too quickly since the longer it's liquid the longer it works.

As for finishing products, I'd suggest shellac. The solvent is just alcohol and it doesn't contain any heavy metal drying agents.

Thanks Joe, I should have posted pictures first, but here it is and I don't have one showing the worst part of the top and you can see there is some missing on the part that move when you raise the machine and I am not worried about that because it isn't falling off. might just do some sanding to even it out there. When I open the top it is good there. It's just the part you see when the machine is closed. By the way I don't plan on having the machine closed very much. The main reason to have one of these is to be able to see the machine.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...65417842_n.jpg

The machine needs a little cleaning and a belt and that is all. The needle goes up and down very smooth and that surpises me because of the damange on the top. I would have thought it would have rusted and been stuck, must be because of all the oil they needed to add to these machines back in the day. In the picture you can't see the plate because I had already started to clean the machine and was working on the bobbin area.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...73306258_n.jpg

Hi Anamaria,

One trouble with painting a cabinet is that after a few years' wear and tear it will look a lot worse than if it had been left unpainted. Have you tried using 'restoration' rather than 'refinishing' methods? The Treadle On standard approach is to clean with something like Murphy's Oil Soap, touch up the scratches with Old English polish with stain, then use Howard's Restor-a-Finish to even out the old finish. Then wax (e.g., with Howard's Feed-n-Wax or whatever it's called). This will usually make a cabinet, etc. look a LOT better without erasing its history. JMHO.

pat

Hi Pat,
Yes, I have seen the 'restoration' method on Treadle On. I think that is what i am going to try on my Parlor cabinet.
But, this new cabinet, which was a Blonde wood cabinet, has been stained, and the finish is coming off the cabinet legs which were not sanded before staining. The top part of the cabinet the stain is not even, looks like it soaked in, in spots, and some areas are rough and smooth?? So, was trying to see what would work for it without stripping it. Thank you
Anamaria