! Herald - Lantern Dispatch 26 March '86 ' 35

Antiques

By Arthur H. Schwerdt

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Making a brand new piece of furniture out of an old piece that was headed for the junk pile is one of the most satisfying pros jects you can do in your home workshop. Vaii Aan lolrn cnmnlKinn something

that was gathering dust in the attic and turn it into something that is not only useful and decorative in the home but is also an object of personal pride.

IF YOU BOUGHT it at a flea market or house sale for only a few dollars, it is now worth much more. And you can say, "I did it myself". I once asked a professional porcelain craftsman for some pointers on repairing and restoring some broken china. After giving me some tips he said, "Go to the Five and . Dime and buy some cheap mugs. Break em and fix em before you try messing around with anything valuable". THE SAME advice holds true with furniture. If you want to be aUe to point with pride at wlrat you have done, you will, of course, want it to look as professionally done as it can be. Professional refinishers charge high fees, and their services are worth it. They have the benefit of a great - deal of practice and some time-honored tips and secrets. YOU CAN uncover those tops and secrets but you will have to get the practice all by yourself. Start with small pieces like a wooden box. old wooden candlesticks, a small bench or stool. This will give you the feel of the tools, chemicals and other materials that are necessary to do the job right. You will also get to make

some mistakes while the stakes are not too high. I LIKE TO approach the job of refinishing this way: all of the hard work is in taking off the old finish, and all of the art is in applying the new finish: first you work for the wood, then you work for yourself. To strip off a painted or laquered piece you can use one of two methods. You can use a commerical stripper like Zip Strip or you can use a heat gun device. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. CHEMICAL STRIPPERS are messy, either toxic or flammable, and take off only one coat of paint at a time. But they can cover larger areas than a heat gun can, and often get the job done faster. A heat gun is an investment. Buy one if you anticipate future stripping projects. (How about the moulding in the dining room?) The new hot air gun on the market now is less messy than chemicals, and better for working in the home. SCRAPING AND sanding is the best way to remove the finish on woodstained furniture. Buy a scraper and learn to use it. Hold the sharp edge at about a 45-degree angle to the surface and scrape with even pressure along the grain of the wood. The greatest danger is in removing the wood instead of just the stain. So start on inconspicuous areas first. THE BROAD flat surface of a table top looks inviting . and easy to do, but it will be I easily marred by nicks and I dents and requires your utI most skill and patience. After the finish is removI ed. the piece will have to be I sanded. Start with a coarse I or medium-course grade I and sand the whole piece. Apply even pressure goI ing along the grain. Don't I get too vigorous and tire I yourself out. Let the paper I do the work. FOR LARGE flat sur faces, wrap the paper around a block of wooa to assure an even pressure. Repeat this sanding process about four more times, each time using a grade finer paper There are chemical strippers for wood-stained furniture. The best of them is used by professionals and requires a vat and a hose. The department store vffl-iety are not as efficient, vefy messy to work with, and if not removed immediately can permanently darken the wood. IF YOU ARE intent on using a chemical, try the No-Wash solution. You will still have to go through the sanding process to prepare the wood for your new stain and finish. The better you have prepared the wood, the more rewarding will be the re-staining and finishing. I'll discuss this art next week. We'll also polish up the hardware, and talk about keeping your furniture looking as good as new for as long as possible — like forever. (Arthur Schwerdt. coowner of The August Farmhouse. on Route 9 in Swain ' ton. nfif vites questions c/o - this newspaper .)

School Bd. Vote Slated In Avalon AVALON — The annual election for the borough board of education will be held Tuesday, April 15. at the Avalon Elementary School. Polls will be open 5-9 p.m. Two members of the school board will be elected for full three-year terms and one for a one-year unexpired term. Also up for a vote is a school budget proposition to vote taxes to meet $1,101,026 for current expenses and $141,000 in capital outlay. A.L. Auxiliary CAPE MAY - Unit 193, American Legion Auxiliary, will meet 7:30 Ddn. Monday. April 7, at the post rooms, 406 Congress St. New members are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

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