I recently checked out Furniture restoration : step-by-step tips and techniques for professional results By Marx. I thought the chapter on color theory / matching to be very informative.
I was wondering if anyone has a favorite book that deals with furniture repair and refinishing?
Bill
Replies
The furniture doctor.......
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=the+furniture+doctor&x=0&y=0
that's step one. Lowest price is a whole buck plus shipping.
Second best book, also a whole buck plus shipping is
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=adventures+in+wood+finishing&sts=t
My next favorite book on colour matching is my pocketbook. After many experiments in colour matching, I have opted for the past decade to by and large allow the folks who do this day in and day out to do it for me at little or no cost.
Meanwhile I still have boxes of stains, tints and all other types of what is generally considered hazardous waste going "bad" in the shop, garage, and basement. And it may just be me, but I never felt I achieved even the basic success in color matching when my results were put up against the pros.
Eric
Edited 5/14/2009 11:10 pm ET by cowtown
The one that got me started was The Weekend Refinisher by Bruce Johnson. Not a sophisticated restoration book, by any means, but he is sensible and a very entertaining writer.
Gretchen, where are you? We need your input to bring this up a level or two!
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 5/15/2009 1:35 am by forestgirl
I think Bob Flexners, Understanding Wood Finishing is one of if not the best out there. It's also one of the best-selling books on finishing ever printed. I've written books myself and can see he put a TON of effort into this book. I have a review of his book with more details at the link below.
http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/uwfrvu.html
Tom Hintz
Because there is always more to learn!
Tom, I was going to suggest Flexner and Jewitt, but then I realized his post is asking about furniture repair and restoration. Can you help there? I'm drawing a blank on anything close to sophisticated on that topic.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
A great book for this subject is;
Repairing and Restoring Antique Furniture by John Rodd
Published by Van Nostrand Reinhold in 1976 reprinted in 1979
I don't know if it is print or not but is well worth the effort to find. It covers a wide range of topics from chair repair to carcase, draw, veneer repairs.
The miscellaneous chapter covers things like turning the twist for a Regency chairs top rail as well as mold making, fret work, fixing cracks etc etc.
It is an extremely useful resource.
Thanks, Peter, sounds much more along the lines of what I'd hope to highlight for the OP.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I still agree about Flexner. Repair is out of my league. If it needs it it goes to someone else. But refinishing isn't that much different from "finishing". You need to understand the products, and Flexner explains them in such detail. In fact, sometimes, I have had to really concentrate to cross-reference his work.
The book I started with was Ralph Parsons Kinney back in the 50's but it is long gone. First time I heard of a wiping varnish.
Well, the last time I looked for this book was probably 20 years ago--before the wonders of the internet!! Just bought it for $5 (with postage!) on Amazon to replace my long gone one!! it does have repair in it also.
Gretchen
Edited 5/16/2009 7:41 am ET by Gretchen
Thanks, Gretchen. Ahhhh, yes, many is the time I've thought "That (long-ago finished) task would have been so much easier with the internet."forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
FG
Speaking about Bob Flexner?? What happened to him and FWW. He has gone off the radar completely. I thought he was a great writer and teacher on refinishing.
Furniture refinishing? In today's repair business, the range of pieces is so wide it takes a bunch of experience across a wide span. Many of the older pieces I have repaired have been "botched" by hacks using epoxy glues on joints that called for hide glue. Others thought it might be nice to use polyurethane for a "tougher finish" on an older piece. This makes repairs very difficult for the next guy.
I think a good place for repair/restoration instruction would be a study of glues for different repair work.
If a person had the time and money, a week with Phil Lowe would certainly add to a skill set. His repair expertise is close to the top in my view.
dan
Hi Dan,
You really hit the nail on the head about refinishing and repairs. Some of the things you see just make you shake your head. I've always gotten a kick out of all the secret recipes used to "restore" a finish.
The current finishing books out there are very good, but many people just stop there. One of the mainstays for research has always been;
Coloring, Painting and Finishing Wood by A.C. Newell written in 194O He was also published in the FWW compilation on Finishing and Refinishing (1986)
Newells book is chock full of concise technical information on formulas, chemistry and finishes. As a learning manual it is unparalleled. However it does lack the photography we find in today's books. I'm sure when doing his research Flexnor used this book.
An aside; I'll be in Asheville on October 23 & 24 at the Wood Working Show. Any chance of getting together for a cup of coffee? I'd like the opportunity to finally shake hands.
Peter
Funny you should mention Newell's book, I found it years ago in a yard sale and read it front to back. Couldn't say cover to cover: the back is missing.
dan
Edited 5/16/2009 11:18 am ET by danmart
Bob writes a monthly article in Popular Woodworking. Generally the last one, near the back of the magazine.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
Flexner writes regularly for Popular Woodworking. His book is a great finishing resource. But refinishing very often involves repairs--by the time the finish has failed, other things likely have too. But, the real issues comes with genuinely old pieces which might have value as antiques. I'm not a believer in the don't touch it, leave it dirty and grungy school of thought, but there is a long way between that and the "sand it down and slap a coat of poly on it" desecration. .
Steve
I guess I should get a few copies of PW. I just talked with a friend who rates PW very high.
dan
Bennett M. Discovering and Repairing Antique Furiture 1990 is very well done.
There is also a serious body of work in the field of furniture conservation, much of which would go well beyond practical "refinishing". That said, it is important to know when to stop "refinishing" and to think in terms of conservation. A lot of value has been lost with fine antiques refinished to essentially become only furniture. Varnish, especially polyurethane isn't a part of sensitive refinishing.
Ahhhhhh, now we're gettin' somewhere for our OP. Thanks, Steve!!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Ditto the Bob Flexner book. Loaded with tips, facts/fiction remarks. Sure can't go wrong with that book.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
One of my favorites is "Adventures in Wood Finishing: 88 Rue de Charonne" by George Frank. It was published by Taunton Press but has been out of print for some time. Amazon.com doesn't carry it but lists several sources with prices ranging from $2.80 to $1,300!? At one time George Frank was a contributing editor for FWW. The book is very readable and has a lot of good info on finishing and refinishing fine furniture and antiques and on "creating" antiques. I just dug out my copy in response to this post (I don't think it's the $1,300 version). I plan to reread it in the next few days.
George
You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard
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