8 votes
Accepted

How can a bit brace handle be replaced?

Is it possible to change the handle and how? Yes, you can replace the handle. But there's a decent chance you can repair the existing one strongly enough that the repair will last for many years if ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 63.5k
6 votes

Removing Paint from Rough/Coarse Surfaced Beams

They have been painted though and I'm looking for a method to remove the paint, and let the natural wood stand out instead. I live in an apartment building that used to be a large furniture factory. ...
grfrazee's user avatar
  • 12.1k
5 votes

Which edge of the plane's mouth should I file if I want to open it up?

The front exclusively. The rear surface of the mouth represents part of a reference/registration surface that works in conjunction with the frog's face to support the iron assembly, and if it's in ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 63.5k
4 votes

Removing Paint from Rough/Coarse Surfaced Beams

Unfortunately there are no easy solutions to removing paint from rough wood in situ. Methylene-chloride paint remover: Dont know how difficult that would be to remove the pain on the rough surface ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 63.5k
4 votes

Any tips on reconditioning/using an old benchtop jointer?

If it were my choice to make... let me put it this way: I've actually spent a little time with a handheld power planer upside-down in a jig as a "micro jointer". I've come a long way, since I now have ...
TDHofstetter's user avatar
3 votes

Need advice how to fill a screw hole in plywood

Alternatively, have you considered remaking / replacing the head? After considering feedback and your desire to put the horse back into use it might not be possible to satisfactorily repair the ...
STW's user avatar
  • 297
3 votes
Accepted

New varnish beading/crawling on refinished furniture [poss. silicone contamination]

This appears to be classic "fisheye", a defect caused by contamination of the surface by silicone oil. In a furniture context the chief source of this is modern furniture polishes, although ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 63.5k
3 votes
Accepted

What glue suits restoring this old (French?) chair?

What glue suits restoring this old (French?) chair? Take your pick. In addition to there being some personal preference involved naturally, different jobs may require specific adhesives. Although ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 63.5k
3 votes

How to remove and repair a crooked desk leg?

Given your lack of tooling I think the only reasonable way to address this is to flood the affected joints with epoxy. (Funny how many of my answers seem to be this solution lately.) First, get some ...
SaSSafraS1232's user avatar
2 votes
Accepted

Removing black stuff from polishing pads

The black stuff is iron particles that have been abraded from the table saw top. To remove them from your pads, you'll have to dissolve them. The good news is, it appears that the festool cutting ...
aaron's user avatar
  • 2,406
2 votes

Which edge of the plane's mouth should I file if I want to open it up?

Intuitively I would choose to file the fore edge of the mouth, for two reasons: The angle is not critical. The rear edge matches the bedding angle of the frog, whereas the fore edge is just ...
Kevin Kruse's user avatar
2 votes

What should I do to restore/un-uglify my wooden shoe cabinet?

You may have unrealistic expectations when you say "I want it to look more like it used to before all the wear-and-tear...". The best you can probably hope for with furniture with this level ...
Jimmy Fix-it's user avatar
2 votes
Accepted

Restoring old furniture finish

I was wondering if there's a good way to fix up the scratches A simple way to touch up scratched finish is with scratch cover products. I have never used one, but I think you will get a good visual ...
Volfram K's user avatar
  • 2,109
2 votes
Accepted

How do I clean aluminum tool tables?

Maybe try automotive/marine aluminum polish like used on aluminum wheels and so forth. Or, maybe something like this Aluminum Cleaner/Brightener/Restorer which seems to be a non-abrasive approach. ...
gnicko's user avatar
  • 1,446
1 vote
Accepted

Cleaning "kitchen dirt" from old spice rack pieces

I want to clean it, smooth-plane it, glue it back together, put some nice finish on it and give it to my mum for her birthday. Sounds like a plan. If I had gone to the trouble of taking the item ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 63.5k
1 vote

Cleaning "kitchen dirt" from old spice rack pieces

If you're nervous about planing, the most effective way to clean it I have found is: 1/ Soap and a small amount of water with a nylon scouring pad. 2/ Rinse the pieces well with warm water, then pop ...
Threp's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote

Need advice how to fill a screw hole in plywood

The plywood is pretty badly compromised. Restoring a mess like that is a multistep process. I would proceed as follows: Clean all the loose, chippy pieces of veneer out of the blown apart plywood,...
Walnut Close's user avatar
  • 1,401
1 vote

Old drill press. How do I remove the handle/quill

I don't know what you're facing here, but I thought I'd provide something that might help so this Q doesn't remain unanswered (meaning it will subsequently bob back to the top over the coming months ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 63.5k
1 vote
Accepted

How to fix warped wood in cane chair hiding weaving

Should I soak it in hot water or steam it to make it more pliable and force it back into place Unless you are in a position to make a new one I think this has the greatest chance of success. After ...
Graphus's user avatar
  • 63.5k
1 vote

Worried about pre-stain conditioner results

There's a few questions here, so I'll break it down a little. General advice: The best way to determine what finishing regimen you should use is to make test boards with different steps until you ...
SaSSafraS1232's user avatar
1 vote

Is it possible to repair scratches to this sort of wear?

Start with a colored oil based poly (Polyshades) or varnish close to the sheen and colour, then use artist oils to match the colour. This process can be a little tedious mix in small batches adjusting ...
Monte Glover's user avatar
1 vote

Top coat poly makes other sides rough

The spray gun is generating an electrostatic charge in the spray and atomized particles are attaching to the nearby surfaces of the wood. It looks white because the varnish has been atomized (like a ...
Reactgular's user avatar
  • 1,005
1 vote
Accepted

How do I duplicate large fretwork, brackets and corbels? Plywood and CNC?

The plywood will hold up but the edges will look like plywood sooner than later. Keep in mind that the original wood managed to last 150 years and probably failed from lapse of maintenance. I would ...
Chuck S's user avatar
  • 859
1 vote

How do I use dividers to layout decorative shapes?

When designing projects, it's common for dimensions to be defined in terms of ratios to other parts of the project, as a way of subtly tying things together even when their size varies. There are some ...
keshlam's user avatar
  • 9,171
1 vote

How do I use dividers to layout decorative shapes?

Good answer by @Graphus, though my initial interpretation of your question was about using dividers to lay out the curved shapes of the bracket itself. If so, my advice is to not bother... just pull ...
Aloysius Defenestrate's user avatar
1 vote

Is it a good idea to apply lacquer over shellac?

I have found (dewaxed) shellac to be an amazing barrier coat. I haven't used it as a primary finish since I did decoupage as a kid, but I have sprayed dozens of gallons of dewaxed under both ...
Benchwerks's user avatar
1 vote

Is it a good idea to apply lacquer over shellac?

On my can of Zinsser shellac "Not recommended for use as a sealer under polyurethane". It says nothing about lacquer. It sounds like some serious skill would be required to evenly match the original ...
Marty Hewes's user avatar
1 vote

Efficient paint removal from rough sawn wood

I embarked on this mission yesterday and was quite successful by using a heat gun on low heat at first. Once the paint bubbles I used rigid hand scrapper like the ones used to fill holes in walls. ...
Luke's user avatar
  • 11

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