Refinishing Jobs ? I dread.

Good luck Doug! That will be a tough one to bill fairly. Most people don’t realize just how much work goes into refinishing something like that.

-- Robb

Wow. Hope you gave an estimate, and that it was high enough!

-- "That which has in itself the greatest use, possesses the greatest beauty." - http://www.willmego.com/

I have a cabinet shop friend that had a TON of small window pains to refinished. It ended up being more cost effective to take out all the windows and reconstruct(to original specs) all the window frames. Just an idea, especially if the wood is just going to be repainted anyway.
Good luck either way.

-- Someday I will be more than a sawdust wisperer

Hate to say it, but this may be one of those jobs you have to take a hit if your estimate wasn’t quite right. Sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble, but I can definitely sympathize. A while back I refinished a chest that my wife got from her grandmother, and in the process realized that all of the veneer work needed to be reapplied. Forget a client—try explaining to your WIFE that a project is taking a lot longer than you originally expected! :)

Seriously, good luck finishing up in a timely manner.

-- David from Indiana --

I really don’t envy you on this. Good luck getting done with it and out as unscathed as you can.

I have one of my old wooden doors still in half-finished condition from before I started with woodworking. Once I started seriously looking into it, I realized I’d rather build a new one in less time than having to get the paint off this one and fix everything up. So since it’s not a job that needs to be done, it’ll just do it’s duty ugly as it is until nothing of higher priority is left to do.

Refinishing is definitely a royal pain in the ass… Too much work and no enjoyment.
I refinished an antique oak kitchen table and 4 chairs that my wife liked many years ago. Never again..First and last refinishing project. If I don’t built it myself it ain’t gonna be in our house.

-- Every step of any project should be considered your masterpiece if you want the finished product to reflect the quality of your work. http://www.FineArtBoxes.com

I’m with Manasseh, it’s probably more cost-effective to just build a new one.

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

I enjoy the comments you posted, and it was not to sound like I wanted sympathy, but just to point out that all jobs are not all what one wants to get involved in, I wish that all the people that one that work with this type of stuff would realize how much time is involved ,and that mess it encounters.
I get to much work like this to turn it down, but I wish the customer would realize the time that it takes,then the price would not be so hard to present. And I’m also finding out that I’m not the only one that gets this type of jobs. Thanks Guys. Let you know how much the customer said about the door.

-- Doug, Michigan, http://www.furniturebydouglas.com

Well the customer was very pleased with the door, Should of charged more , I even halped him rehange the door and carry it to the basement. He has been a good customer.

-- Doug, Michigan, http://www.furniturebydouglas.com

Yep Doug when I read the title to your thread my first thought was “paint stripping” that I dislike most. That door of yours is a difficult job requiring a lot of patience. Good luck sir!

-- Ohh mann...pancakes and boobies...I'll bet that's what Heaven is like! ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣

Hi Doug. The next time you get one of these remember this one and then quote sky high! They will most likely turn it down, but it they must have it done they way you do it, make the money on it!!!!!

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!!

For these types of jobs, take a camera to get the look on their face when you give them the bill. Then use the pic. for future reference when pricing the next one. Yeah, sometimes you have to take a hit.

-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--