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China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

Wouldy
Making a Splash

China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

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This is my new project. Just restoring it. I stripped the veneer off the top last night. I also took out the broken glass panel from the door and the smaller broken panel on the left side. 

 

I'm just wondering what stain and varnish to get for the finish? Below is a chart for wood types. I'm look for a light yellow birch finish. I think that is the closest match to the color. What do you think? 

 

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There are some minor scratches and scuffs on other parts of the cabinet. I am actually reluctant to touch it. No sanding back if not needed. I'm wondering if I should use a mixture of actually just rubbing some if the scratches out with a microfibre cloth and a liquid solution I have here? 

 

For the deeper scratches and scuffs I'm not sure what to do yet. Any suggestions? Remember it is veneer. Thank you. 

Re: China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

@JoeAzza The finish looks great. I would love tye extra photos, thank you. The feast watson restore has done a great job on most of tge paneling that was damaged. I am happy with it. I had ro remove the veneer complerely from yge top piece and to the door if the cabinet. It was to far gone. Left the wood exposed which is pine. 

 

I have stained snd varnished the top so far. I am adding a clear varnish to the top so it matches the rest of the paneling restired with feast watson restore. It has a nice gloss snd shine to it now. Usijg tge clear varnish will in my mind match that look so it hopefully looks uniform. 

 

Feel free to have a look at photos of the cabinet to get an idea of what I mean. They are up here in this thread. 

 

I picked up the glass yesterday to replace as it was broken. I would find it helpful if yiu take me through the repair you did there as my fix is for leadlight as well. Thank you. 

 

Wouldy. 

JoeAzza
Kind of a Big Deal

Re: China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

Hi Wouldy   @Wouldy 

as requested here are some photo's of the cabinet before repairs.

With the leadlight repairs, I have done leadlight work a long time ago to replace my own leadlight panels, I did do a leadlight course which helped me lot, so I am not sure if you have ever attempted to do any leadlight repairs, there is a lot of you tube videos on how to do lead lighting.

Anyway, I repaired the leadlight panels by removing them from the timber framework, it's too hard to repair in situ. the panels have to lay flat for repairs and soldering.

I owner of the cabinet arranged to have the glass panels cut to size, I would have preferred to cut the glass myself, however luckily the glass all fitted in well, I just had to cut a couple to fit. I had to buy the lead came to suit the rest of the panels, being an old unit, I bought the closest size to the original, I bought these from a Leadlight glass shop, I also had to buy black putty, this is used between the glass and lead came, also bought some chalk powder, plus I had all the tools required to cut and do the repairs.

Here are the steps I carried out.

1. Remove leadlight glass panels, and place them on a piece of chipboard slight bigger than the panel, I suggest you do one at a time.

2. New glass (3mm thick) was cut to size to match existing glass panels, (usual old glass panels are thinner).

3. Purchase lead came, ( take sample of lead to Leadlight shop), Black putty, Chalk powder, Buy enough to do the job.

4. Tools required, Lead came stretching vise, Leadcame ;cutting pliers, plastic putty tool,100 watt soldering iron, carbide-wheel glass cutter, breaking/grozing pliers, running pliers, 60/40 solder,  flux, flux brush, two types of buffing brushes, soft and medium, horseshoe nails (look up internet to see what tools are required). Have I lost you yet!!!!

5.Once you have all the above, you can start your repairs.

6. Before removing any damaged glass panels or glass, take measurements of the panels and length and width of the whole panels (do this whilst in a flat position.

7. Remove any damaged area , with the leadlight cutter or sharp utility knife.

8.Stretch and cut the new lead to fit the panel, I suggest you replace a complete row, it's too hard to replace one piece, unless it's a corner piece.

The Leadlight shop owner said that he replaces the whole panel, he said, it's much easier than repairing a few panels. I did the opposite I repaired approx 9 panels.

9. When you have cut all the lead came and fitted the glass, held in place with horseshoe nails, you can prepare for soldering, if you haven't soldered lead before, look up the internet and practice first before soldering your panels.

10. When finished, clean all the solder flux off each joint.

11. Now it's time to putty all the joints and polish with medium brush, the finally with a soft bristle brush. polish the whole panel to get all the one colour - black.

12, Place the panels in the curved timber frames, this will help them to set to the curved shape of the frame.

 

Hope this helps, I know it's a lot to take in if you haven't done it before, maybe you might know someone who has done leadlighting , where they can help you or do it for you. Please let me know if I can help any further, good luck Wouldy.

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12. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re: China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

@JoeAzza 

 

Thanks for the pics. You did an amazing job. It looks beautiful. I am.at the stage where I already have the new glass. Old glass is gone. 

 

I have two pieces of glass to replace. I am not sure if we have a leadlighting place here where I live. I will need to look. 

 

I am not going to do an entire panel. The customer is not paying me a lot for what is a big job and refused to pay for the glass. I will do the two pieces that need replacing. I watched quite a few you tube videos. Thank you for walking me through the steps of what you did. It will make my job easier. 

 

Honestly, I love woodworking and restoration. With this particular piece, I lost interest because of a very rude customer. I will complete it though. 

 

Wouldy

Re: China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

I so thought I had a solution to my wood filler problem. I shaved some pine and used Wood glue to stick on problem areas. Waited till fully dry. Gave it a sand. Didn't work very well. My reasoning - pine blends in with pine. I feel so tired and defeated. I am literally really tired. I am supposed to be resting and can't cause I got to get it finished. 

 

Wouldy

 

Wouldy. 

JoeAzza
Kind of a Big Deal

Re: China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

.@wouldy   It looks like you have a big job ahead of you, have you tried mixing some of the stain with the pine filler, it might work, maybe .@redracer

or .@MitchellMc  might be able to suggest something to remedy the situation.

Good luck

Re: China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

@JoeAzza yeah, that suggestion came. Just a little too late. It is OK though. At 11pm last night I worked out a workable solution. Tested it and think it's going to work. Then I fell into bed exhausted. 

 

Wouldy. 

JoeAzza
Kind of a Big Deal

Re: China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

.@wouldy well done, you can relax now, onward to the next project.

 

Joe

Re: China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

@JoeAzza 

 

A few interesting developments over the last few days. I managed to get hold of an actual leadlight repair woman here in my very small town. She was a real blessing. She came around to my house. 

 

The leadlight is not real. It is zinc chrome. Back in the day they used it without the lead as they needed it for bullets. Terrible I know. The whole panel actually was in fire need if repair which I knew. It would have cost too much. ( Being paid very little as it is) So we devised a plan to only fix the two pieces that needed glazing and I did it myself. I could see someone had fiddled with it before me and actually bent some if the fake leadlight. It made things difficult but I did my best. It has been glazed now but putty is taking a very long time to dry. 

 

I am almost done. I just have the door to go which I am really concerned about. It looks really terrible. It was my own fault. I did a bad repair job in it. I am going to try fix it tomorrow. I can then put a finish to it and it is good to go. 

 

To be honest, this is my first project that I have not enjoyed. It has been very stressful. I will never touch a veneer piece again. 

 

Wouldy. 

JoeAzza
Kind of a Big Deal

Re: China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

.@Wouldy I can't wait to see the finished product, never give up.

 

Joe

Re: China Cabinet, what stain and varnish?

@JoeAzza 

 

I have never given up yet on any restoration job.  Photos will be coming tomorrow or Friday. It will be finished. Can't wait to share them! 

 

Wouldy

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