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Antique Country French Hutch
I cruise the local Habitat Restore for things I can use. High on my list is anything made of QSWO. I've gotten some spectacular specimens; one example is the entry table I refinished and posted awhile back. $38 was a pittance. All I had to do was separate some joints and reattach, and finish. Easy-peasy with hide glue. Fast forward to today. I've had an eye on this antique French Country hutch for over a year. It started out well over $2000. Not a bad price, if one can refinish a wood project (can do), but way above what I wanted to spend. I watched the price ratchet down, down, down, until it got to $750. Then they slapped a 60% off sticker on it! I got it for $321 and change. Can't buy that much wood for that kind of money, plus it has carvings on the doors. I've seen them online for $6k+, but they've been refinished. I can do that, but I'll be asking a few questions, anyway. I also need a key, as only the right door of the upper cabinet opens. I can pull the lock and make something, or maybe someone knows a source for keys? Before pics:
Steven- Random Orbital Nailer
28 Comments
yeah refinished and thats gold ! those carvings are beautiful. your patience paid off big time DK !!!!
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
😁 Don't I know it! I'm looking forward to making it even nicer, and putting it in the house. I'm not greedy, so not interested in resale. I just really like the style; getting it cheap is a bonus. FWIW, those pics (like mine usually are) don't even reflect how nice it already looks. NB- that weed bowl didn't come with it. I feel cheated, lol.
Steven- Random Orbital Nailer
Should be fun. Doesn't look too bad from here. It should refinishing nicely.
You might check with some of the restoration suppliers for keys (here's one). I've even seen them on Amazon too.
You might check with some of the restoration suppliers for keys (here's one). I've even seen them on Amazon too.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
Thanks for the tip, Nathan! My main challenge is going to be flattening the top of the base. It's sagged from the sands of time pressing down on it- those two pillars aren't braced underneath. I'm betting that the people who built it didn't expect it to live this long. I'll see what I can do with a piece or two of angle metal from underneath.
Steven- Random Orbital Nailer
cant tell in the pic but yeah i could see that would be an issue. guess they didn't consider that ?
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
This should be a fun project!
Is the sagging top veneered? If so can you tell what the substrate is?
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
The sagged section is framed in, so that is entirely possible. It's gridlocked in the garage atm, so I'll have to move some things to get a really good look at the bottom side. Good question!
Steven- Random Orbital Nailer
OK, I got to it this morning. I had a friend over in the morning for a wood carving session, and then was busy the rest of the day. It is indeed a veneer, ~.08" thick. Can't tell what the bottom face is, it just looks like some cheap white wood. No stain on it. The top is nailed to the carcass, no cleats. I could pry it off, remove the edge pieces and put on a new oak plywood top. I'll have to check at the place I buy wood from. I'm going to make is shiny with some paint thinner and see if I can just live with it the way it is. My neighbor has a chest (I think that's what she called it) dating from the late 1700s or early 1800s she's been trying sell. I'll have to take a look at it. She says it needs some fixing, and only wants $100 for it.
Steven- Random Orbital Nailer
Yours reminded me a lot of one I bought about 15-20 years ago. Not sure what year it's from but, ... possibly could have been made by the same company?? I know they're different but the way they did the base and pillars have a lot of similarities.
Figuring out how to do something you have never done is what makes a good challenge.
thats gorgeous bent !
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
They may have put some other veneer on the underside. They usually veneer both sides to help prevent warping, often something cheap when it doesn't show.
Does it have any maker's marks anywhere?
Does it have any maker's marks anywhere?
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
After seeing Bently's I will take a look for a maker's mark. That is nice looking. Maybe the same era, at least.
I was unclear about the construction of the top. It is veneered on both sides. The bottom veneer isn't oak, just something very light and of course no stain.
I was unclear about the construction of the top. It is veneered on both sides. The bottom veneer isn't oak, just something very light and of course no stain.
Steven- Random Orbital Nailer
OK, it looks like the top of the base is bowed down about 5/16" at the middle. Both along and across. I'm not even going to try pulling it flat from underneath, it's sure to crack. I pulled the shelf out of the base, and it appears to be poplar. Nice tight grain, there's probably another project to be made from it. Wife wants an oak shelf. Options for the top are Baltic birch with veneer or just a good grade of nicely veneered oak plywood. Doesn't even need to be QSWO veneer, as it isn't now. I'll start checking prices on Monday.
Funny- I tried to remove the screws holding one of the locks to a door, as we have no key. The lighting in the garage is decidedly poor, and I kept trying smaller and smaller flat screwdrivers in the slot(s). Finally hunkered down (arthritis- I should have made sure I had someone available to help me back up, if needed) and discovered that they are nails, lightly scored! 🤷♂️ Vice Grips did the trick. Looks like a Paris lock, #36. I've looked online but am not really interested in buying a bucket o' keys. I do know a locksmith, maybe I could ask him, but I'm curious what kinds of rabbit holes you folks have gone down looking for keys. I could just grind the rivets off that lock, as my wife just wants simple pulls, but there is no other latching hardware to hold the doors shut, so not really wanting to go that route. I can make my own key if I cut the lock open, but I'd really like to keep it somewhat original. The key can just be left in one of the locks. We certainly don't have servants to potentially steal the silver or China. 😄
Funny- I tried to remove the screws holding one of the locks to a door, as we have no key. The lighting in the garage is decidedly poor, and I kept trying smaller and smaller flat screwdrivers in the slot(s). Finally hunkered down (arthritis- I should have made sure I had someone available to help me back up, if needed) and discovered that they are nails, lightly scored! 🤷♂️ Vice Grips did the trick. Looks like a Paris lock, #36. I've looked online but am not really interested in buying a bucket o' keys. I do know a locksmith, maybe I could ask him, but I'm curious what kinds of rabbit holes you folks have gone down looking for keys. I could just grind the rivets off that lock, as my wife just wants simple pulls, but there is no other latching hardware to hold the doors shut, so not really wanting to go that route. I can make my own key if I cut the lock open, but I'd really like to keep it somewhat original. The key can just be left in one of the locks. We certainly don't have servants to potentially steal the silver or China. 😄
Steven- Random Orbital Nailer
for my 2 cents DK id leave it all original. id leave the bow, who cares. it's all about the original patina for me. why try and make it perfect, imperfection is the beauty for me ? looking forward to what you do though !
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
If you can pull the top out without damaging it, you could try cutting some dados and grooves in the bottom to see if you can flatten it using cauls. Adding some moisture to the concave side while you try to flatten may help as well. If you can get it flat enough, you could then glue some wood strips into the grooves to stabilize it and maybe add some metal battens (angle iron or U channels) for extra support.
If you are going to replace it anyway, you may not have much to lose from trying. ( And I really want to know if this technique works 😀)
If you are going to replace it anyway, you may not have much to lose from trying. ( And I really want to know if this technique works 😀)
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
My wife likes shiny stuff, Pottz. Don't know why she married me, I'm pretty dull. I personally think she should put a runner on it like she was originally saying. She quilts, it needs a runner...win-win!
Nathan, the concave side is the top, which is varnished. I could sand it off and do the wetting, but I'd have to reverse 150 years of pressure in less time. Getting the top off shouldn't be too difficult, as it was nailed on instead of having cleats like "nice" furniture. The sag isn't all that obvious, but I suspect that if it was shiny that observation would change. Probably ought to try it, since I have another ready solution. It will end up on the north wall of the family room, so will never see direct sun. Such being the case, maybe the sag will never show? The only natural light comes through the sliding glass door on that north wall. Wife is leaning on me to not spend more than it cost us, and I think that a sheet of good enough white oak plywood will be bumping that cost, since a sheet of crap oak from Lowe's is $100 already. If I go this way (new plywood), the cost of the finish is simply incidental, since it needs refinishing anyway.
Alternatively, I could just do an update on the finish, using the stuff Nathan already posted. The only parts needing to be nice enough for the wife would be around the edges, then. I bought this thing cheap because I really liked the carving details. Who'd'a thunk it would be this complicated? 🤷♂️
Nathan, the concave side is the top, which is varnished. I could sand it off and do the wetting, but I'd have to reverse 150 years of pressure in less time. Getting the top off shouldn't be too difficult, as it was nailed on instead of having cleats like "nice" furniture. The sag isn't all that obvious, but I suspect that if it was shiny that observation would change. Probably ought to try it, since I have another ready solution. It will end up on the north wall of the family room, so will never see direct sun. Such being the case, maybe the sag will never show? The only natural light comes through the sliding glass door on that north wall. Wife is leaning on me to not spend more than it cost us, and I think that a sheet of good enough white oak plywood will be bumping that cost, since a sheet of crap oak from Lowe's is $100 already. If I go this way (new plywood), the cost of the finish is simply incidental, since it needs refinishing anyway.
Alternatively, I could just do an update on the finish, using the stuff Nathan already posted. The only parts needing to be nice enough for the wife would be around the edges, then. I bought this thing cheap because I really liked the carving details. Who'd'a thunk it would be this complicated? 🤷♂️
Steven- Random Orbital Nailer
It’s ALWAYS that complicated…
Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".
I recently had a key made by a locksmith for a ca. 1920 humidor that had some history that justified the cost
Cost was $40, OK due to the history. But....while the key worked, it was uuuuggggllly. Plated steel, and he wire brushed it to remove the burrs and removed much of the plating. I had some brass sheet of the same thickness; clamped them together, scribed onto the sheet. Used jeweler's saw and Swiss files to make a nice looking version.
Cost was $40, OK due to the history. But....while the key worked, it was uuuuggggllly. Plated steel, and he wire brushed it to remove the burrs and removed much of the plating. I had some brass sheet of the same thickness; clamped them together, scribed onto the sheet. Used jeweler's saw and Swiss files to make a nice looking version.
Carey Mitchell
I have brass or can buy it cheaply enough. I just need the shape of the key tip.
Steven- Random Orbital Nailer
