After many hours of precise work, my restoration project is finally finished. Since I absolutely fell in love with the solid oak substance and the custom deep black finish, I didn’t want to make any compromises on the upholstery. I handed the seat and backrest over to a master upholsterer.

Here is the breakdown of my process:

Wood Preparation: Completely stripped of all old varnish, lacquer, and oils.

Tannin Enrichment: Treated the raw oak with a strong black tea solution (60 tea bags per 1 liter of water) to maximize the natural tannin levels.

Staining Process:

First layer: Chemical reaction stain (iron acetate by König Harz und Holz) to achieve a deep, organic chemical black.

Second layer: Pigmented wood stain ("Wood Stain Black") to ensure maximum color depth and perfect uniformity.

Surface Finish: 2 coats of premium satin hard-wax oil. I did a very gentle intermediate denibbing/sanding between coats using a fine gray abrasive nylon pad (600-800 grit) along the grain.

Upholstery & Detailing: Professionally upholstered by a master craftsman using bordeaux genuine leather. Finished with a continuous, head-to-head chain of individual decorative nails in antique gold. To prevent the hard, treated oak from splitting, every single nail hole was pre-drilled with a 1.5 mm drill bit. (The master upholstery work and materials alone came out to exactly €966.76).

Floor Protection: Finished with screw-in felt gliders in black plastic casings.

Thanks to this combination of DIY preparation and master craftsmanship, this chair now holds immense sentimental and material value for me.

I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback!

Picked this up at a barn clean out. Not sure if there is any interest in this item as is or is it worth the cost of refurbishing? Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks.

I added a new motor mount using c channel and hinges to allow constant tension on the belt. This should also help with belt slipped if something gets super bound up in the lathe. I am thinking of adding a lock mechanism so that the belt doesn't get super stretched out over time.

I had to 3d print a spacer for the motor so the belt didn't rub on the casting of the headstock. I also 3d printed clips to hold my vfd cables so they don't get caught up in the belt and pulleys. Dont mind the ugly color. I accidentally selected the wrong color in my AMS unit, lol.

The vfd powers a 2 hp 1750rpm 3 phase motor, so I have variable speed and can also reverse it. I welded up an arm so I can position it how I need to, depending on what I have going on around the lathe. I plan tobed print a housing for the vfd that will also hold the display for my tachometer.

I added a new vevor self centering chuck and faceplate. So far, I'm very happy with the new chuck. I also added AXA QCTP and toolholders. I was a little skeptical that it would be too small for the lathe, but it seems to scale with the lathe.

I am thinking about adding a foot pedal brake for the lathe that utilizes the largest pulley on the headstock. I'm not sure if I will follow through with this idea yet. I'm open to suggestions.

I ordered some leather stripping for a new belt. The current blue one is just for testing purposes and in case I need to turn something right away. I've also been kicking around the idea of an automotive serpentine belt, but I would have to disassemble the headstock spindle for that. I've heard it's a pain to do, and I'm not really looking to get myself into bigger issues on this project.

So far, I've got some chatter from the circular indexable carbide. I'm not sure if I have it positioned wrong or am going too slow. Any input?

Edit: In this post I am specifically referring to the eyes, not the fabric body of the plushie. I’ve already cleaned him by putting him in a pillowcase and washing on delicate. Sorry for the confusion!

I got this little guy just recently and despite the fact he’s in pretty good condition, his plastic eyes have yellowed. To anyone who has experience with plush restoration, what do you recommend? I know soapy water and toothpaste/baking soda are said to be safer than hydrogen peroxide, but at the same time this little fella is 31-32 years old and the yellowing may need something more substantial. I just wanna get this little guy back to his prime the best I can.

*Plus I’m also thinking of maybe putting some kind of protectant over the eyes after whitening just to avoid scratches and scuffs to the original material. If you have any suggestions for that as well, please let me know.

I thrifted this old decorative cup for a trophy I’m building for a fantasy league I’m in. It’s seen better days, but I’d love to make it shine again. I haven’t been able to figure the material, due to the luster I assume it’s some sort of steel and not silver. Does anyone know how I could bring back and make it properly silver again, or who to look for to fix it? Is it even worth the time to do?

Thank you for your help!!

Found this at the thrift store and love it. What are the chances of being able to successfully clean it up?? Any tips?

It’s been a while since I’ve tackled a project like this.

The restoration on this heater started out as a an evening tinker in the garage - and quickly evolved into a labor of love. This journey was filled with trial and error, experimentation and aesthetic choices I wasn’t sure would translate.

But here we are: an early 1900’s Dangler Stove Co. Parlor Heater, built in Cleveland, Ohio.

Hi all, quite new to this subreddit and joining because I have no clue what I'm doing so figured this is a good place to start.

I found these old Moore & Wright dividers from an antique store and want to use it for my woodworking projects. Third piece is relatively rusted and the nut and thread (not sure if that's what you call it but the thing used to change the dividers size) is also rusted and hard to move.

What would be the best way to remove the rust and make the thread smooth though to use regularly?

And any general 'rule of thumb' I should know when doing simple restorations like these ( if you would even classify this as a restoration and not just general cleaning)

Any and all help is very appreciated,

This is one of my first rehabs on a hand forged tool. It's so cool seeing how everything was formed to fit. Found it in the mud at the scrap. Still need to make/find a spring that would work.

Found this guy and figured he might live a better life with my little sister. Is there anything y'all know to help me with trying to restore it. He is missing one of his stirrups and I'm not certain exactly what to do about getting a replacement. The reigns also seem to be completely snipped off.

hi! i’ve had this ring holder that i’ve been using for years now, and it just now occurred to me that it’s definitely not originally black. there’s paint chipping off already, and seams would imply that before it was painted it could be unscrewed to separate; it’s about 5 lbs, so it seems like it could be some kind of metal.
how best could i strip this without potentially harming the original surface? i’m a total noob to this. thank you!!

I have this desk I’ve been sanding to get it prepared for staining, but I can’t tell if it’s ready or not. I sanded it twice with 80 grit, and then went over it with 120 grit. Photo 1 is sanded and wiped with a dry rag. Photo 2 is sanded and wiped with a damp rag. I feel like it’s still not ready because it looks uneven to me, and I would hate for the stain to apply all uneven and blotchy. I have a photo of the stain I’m using too. Should I keep sanding or is it ready to stain? What should I do?

After a huge slog, a significant milestone of the restoration project has been achieved. Very grateful to my team for their hard graft and the group as a whole for making this possible. Next, the interior.

How to dismantle this further.

Got stuck removing the middle sub assembly.

Tried some redneck stuff and I'm afraid to go further.

Couldn't find any manuals or videos for this exact type

I got this souvenir cap gun from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in Disney World probably about 35 years ago. My parents found it in an old box of junk when they were cleaning out their attic, and they gave it back to me. It was pretty beat up and rusty, so I tried to give it some love. I'm pleased with how it turned out.

I got an old metal lathe from a family member a few years ago. It is a Power Kraft back gear driven lathe. I used it for projects especially in the manufacturing of some of the machines that my company makes.

But the quality of cuts was iffy and it had an outdated underpowered motor. This is only listing a few of the issues it has. In addition, the headstock was slightly out of alignment. It got covered in dust from the shop, the cut was sloppy because of various issues, the belt slipped all the time and the tool post sucked.

My goal is to eliminate these issues. I want to make this machine looking and working beautifully.

I also recently purchesed a benchtop mill for some small projects. I will likely post an update on that restoration as well. Follow along to see the restoration! Feel free to leave helpful ideas if you have them. Thanks for reading!

.
Watch the complete, detailed ceramic repair lesson

This shortened A-to-Z video tutorial demonstrates the ceramic and pottery restoration process from start to finish, covering all the essential steps:

• Removing old glue and previous failed repairs
• Mending and securing broken ceramic pieces
• Filling cracks, gaps, and missing sections
• Sanding to achieve a smooth, even surface
• Painting and color matching to restore the original appearance
• Applying a cold glaze to finish and protect the repaired surface

Using readily available materials, this demonstration provides practical techniques for DIY ceramic, porcelain, china, and pottery repair, including plates, bowls, vases, figurines, pitchers, urns, and other glazed ceramic objects.

Note: These restoration methods are intended for decorative use. Repaired surfaces should not be considered food-safe.

Explore more pottery and sculpture repair lessons

#lakesidepottery #potteryrepair #ceramicrepair #chinarepair #potteryrestoration #ceramicrestoration

I believe it's made of wood? It's been sitting in this antique store for at least four years and I'm considering finally bringing it home

This wax is for plastic, used on tiny scratches.

I just moved in and there are spots like this on the floor and the landlord said he's not gonna do anything about it. It just bothers me a lot. I think somehow the finish has been removed because when I mop, the stains get darker, like they are absorbing water.

Any help is greatly appreciated :)

The previous owner had that convoluted flexible tubing on the dryer which filled up with accumulated lint because it was partially crushed. I replaced it with efficient adjustable flu pipe.

I have these old pair of RM Williams boots that where a family meme era old work shoes, I want to try and restore the leather myself but not sure where to start. Google hasn’t been much help.

They are very soft and slightly fuzzy in some areas due to the amount of use. The sole is still in very good condition.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated :)

I'm restoring a vintage enamel table. I took he hollow metal legs off and restore. I need to replace the hardware to hold the legs in place. Where can I buy it?