This is my chosen project for this weekend. It’s an antique dresser my grandfather bought for my sister when she was born. It’s been sitting in my basement for the last couple of years and I keep looking at it thinking I should do something with it. My plan is to do a “soft” restoration. Basically I plan on giving it a good sanding, re-staining, and finishing. The major challenge is the top. I think there was a leaky aquarium on it at some point which split the top. I decided to try and salvage the top by adding a couple of butterflies to stabilize the split and just call it “character”. So I started today after work and finished the second butterfly and scraping and sanding the top. This was my first attempt with butterflies and I’m pretty pleased with the effort. Tomorrow I’m going to clean up the drawer front and rest of the case.
-- Aaron
7 comments so far
okwoodshop
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158 posts in 69 days
posted 38 days ago
those look great to me, you may have to show me how to do that sometime. What kind of wood do you think the chest is made from? hope to see it finished. Duane
-- Duane,matt_megan@twlakes.net
FirehouseWoodworking
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104 posts in 167 days
posted 38 days ago
Aaron,
I bought this same chest of drawers at a garage sale! And I mean the same exact one!
Mine was painted and the top was intact. I stripped it and just tung oiled it. My sone grew up with his clothes inside and today (he’s 23) still has it.
Yours obviously has a much more personal attachment. You’ve done it justice!
Cheers!
-- Dave; Lansing, Kansas
a1Jim
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16769 posts in 471 days
posted 38 days ago
very nice work.
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon
jim1953
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1601 posts in 736 days
posted 38 days ago
Great Lookin Dresser
-- Jim, Kentucky
MOJOE
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83 posts in 163 days
posted 38 days ago
doorslammer, like the butterflies. after looking at the pix a few times, it looks like the “split” looks like a glue joint to me. just seems very straight and the grain dosen’t seem to match across the gap. anyway, guess it dosen’t really matter, just and observation. hope the sanding goes well and I’m curious to see the finished project.
joe
-- Measuring twice and cutting once only works if you read the tape right!
Jimi_C
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191 posts in 129 days
posted 37 days ago
I agree about the glue joint, you can actually make out the different boards of the top in the third picture.
doorslammer
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16 posts in 463 days
posted 37 days ago
Duane, I’m thinking the wood is white oak, but I’m not sure. I’m still a novice wood identifier. Regarding the split, I’m pretty sure it is a glue joint. The top looks to be made up of several boards about 4” wide.
-- Aaron