Learning antique furniture restorations skills is about gaining knowledge and experience. Watch Scott as he repairs this broken platform spring rocking chair. It’s in bad shape and needs a lot of repair to get it back in working order. From turning a new part on the lathe to matching wood stain, you’ll see how it’s done in our workshop.
The convolute spring for rocking chair was invented by A.W. Schram and Arthur White. They have a patent dated January 5, 1897 for the device. It’s an interesting idea for a platform rocker however there don’t seem to be many around anymore.
This rocking chair has a number of problems with it, including previous repairs that were done wrong. The key structure to the chair is the back posts, and one is broken off. Someone attempted to repair it with a dowel, but that failed. The chair has been refinished, but the person who refinished it put finish over the area where the arm posts should be glued to the chair. As a result, the posts pivot, which no longer provide support for the back posts, making them weaker. There is also some loose veneer, improperly fitting joints, and some missing screws. It’s a lot of work and requires some judgement on how much to invest in this furniture restoration project.
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– Epoxy Putty for Furniture Repair https://youtu.be/hTajZzd2tv0
LINKS:
– Fixing Furniture Community https://www.fixingfurniture.com
– Kennedy Hardware https://bit.ly/kennedy-hardware
– Plans for Bench-Top Shave Horse – https://woodenitbenice.ca/products/benchtop-shave-horse-plans
– Antique Skeleton Key Set – https://bit.ly/3UWPyuw
– 1 Inch Slotted Round-Head Screws – https://bit.ly/3wXMXbR
Fixing Furniture is not only a YouTube channel but it’s also a community. Get access to videos before they’re published on YouTube, watch all the videos without ads, get downloadable reference sheets, and participate in Fixing Furniture Live every two weeks. Learn more about membership at https://www.fixingfurniture.com
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See the tools we use in our workshop and the tools we recommend: https://www.amazon.com/shop/homeimprovementwoodworking
🇨🇦 Canadian link – https://www.amazon.ca/shop/homeimprovementwoodworking
Fixing Furniture is hosted by Scott Bennett, Co-owner of Wooden It Be Nice Inc. – Furniture Repair in Brooklin, Ontario, Canada. https://WoodenItBeNice.ca
#furniturerestoration #antique #furniturerepair
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You took such care in this restoration for something that had little value except sentimental value. You did an amazing job! Thanks!❤
Great video scott great job
Atlas Van Lines is a moving company for long distance moves across country. I would think those stickers would be just for tracking a home inventory, not for auctions.
The quality of your videos just keeps getting better!
The clean lather is a cool idea…but you gotta use something better than that (i assume) poly carbonate hood. Better, or worse; something solid and relatively scratch, stain and UV resistant OR something cheap and replaceable.
What i see is good for the hobbyist, or like yourself who turns occasionally, but not day-in, day-out all day.
Whoever tried to restore before, I have serious questions about their decency.
Hi! Great job. I worked for a small woodshop here in Texas. We built high-end, custom furniture, but the owner would also take in repair work for clients, former clients, friends and others. Being the finish man, as well as a furniture maker, I got all of the repair, restoration, conservation and refinish work. I was also called on to do hand carving too. I enjoyed it, and it was a welcome change of pace from my regular work.
I generally used aliphatic resin glue instead of PVA. I only used hide glue when specified by the client, or in conservation work where that was the original glue used. I have a BFA, which came in really handy when matching stain and doing touch-up, as well as refinish work. Doing touch-up, and staining small areas without a complete refinish job. I normally used Mohawk ® products for retouch. I would use Two Minute Touchup and Lacover as a vehicle for the Blendall Powder touch-up pigments. They come in a wide variety of colors, so you can match amolst any color. Sometimes I would use Windsor Newton oil paints as well.(no, I don't work for any of these companies). I just found these products to be superior.
Keep up the good work! I'm looking forward to seeing your next video.
You are a master! Such a joy to watch you work
Wow! Masterful work!
Scott: this video was superb. I enjoyed it so much. You are doing some difficult restorations and garnering stars and kudos for master work. Outstanding! Carol from California
I was excited to see your video! I have on of these rockers. I inherited it from my grandparents. Nice video
I love the surgical precision of this video. The rocking mechanism is great for today's use, maybe Scott can design a new rocking chair using that mechanism…..just a suggestion….
Bendy plywood is good for the curved pieces. I took a piece of flat stock pvc from home depot and used my table saw to put a bunch of kurf cuts in it to make it bendable
You mentioned getting replacement screws from Kennedy…i know how to measure a screw for length, obviously, but i don’t understand the #2, #3, etc size nor how to measure an existing screw to buy one thru the mail. Can you explain a bit about that? I always enjoy your videos!
I’ve never seen a rocking chair like this before. I rather like it. As usual you did an amazing job on this chair. It looks wonderful. Very informative video as well. You’ll find those tags are what movers put on your furniture when you move. I was married to someone in the military for 26 years and I’m still finding these tags on things a decade after retirement and our final move.
Yay for being sponsored by Kennedy Hardware. It's about time.
Bravo! Excellent, professional work!
Very nice mate 👏👏
Another amazing video where you really went the extra mile to make sure everything was done properly and blended in perfectly! I can watch you for hours! Thanks so much! Can't wait for the next one with bank stools!
The stickers remind me of MOVING COMPANY Tags. I saw it a few times when they would come and pack my house for a move. They would tag all the items to keep track and make sure they made it to the other end. We would have to fill out paperwork if any of it was damaged or didn't arrive with the military housing office, and we would reference those numbers
Great work, nice job as usual. I found the length of this too long. Did we really need to watch every step of you turning a piece on the lathe? I mean if we have a lathe we already know how to turn wood, and if we don't then who cares? Could have cut tem minuets right there. Then we have to watch you brush on every drop of stain, and at the end we were treated to you threading a nut on the chair. Lose these useless pieces and you could have gotten it down to 45 mins. maybe.
I am morticized, what's happened to this rocker is definitely un-tennonable.