Thread: Chinese multiplication tables

I think this is going to be a good thread to watch.

I cleaned the main body and found that parts of the inside had been covered with silk dipped into a dark grey chalky material. Most of this was hanging loose and stripped away easily leaving clean untarnished timber. What ever it was ... it worked.
I checked all of the joints and found some of the loose joints had crushed their holding pins so I reclamped the joints and replaced the pins with my favourite bamboo skewers ready for another few hundred years of service.
The most serious problem was a large patch on the table top which was quite 'spongey'. I could compress it a few mm with an easy push of the finger. I needed to fix this or the whole project was going to be a waste of time. I used an old trick of putting a vacuum cleaner hose underneath the spongey patch and, with the vacuum running, I poured a light shellac cut (U-Beaut sanding sealer) onto the top and the vacuum drew it into the spongey area. I then warmed the top with a hair dryer and this 'set' the shellac inside the timber and it is now as firm as the surrounding timber. Interestingly I could smell petrol quite strongly and now believe that the spongey patch came from petrol leaking onto the top over a long period of time.
I repaired some of the damage but retained enough dings to retain its character before sanding all surfaces to 400 followed by 3 coats of amber shellac. The pics show the table at this point with the shellac surface being FAR too glossy. After the surface has fully hardened I'll use steel wool to apply U-Beaut Traditional Wax which will give it a silkier look and feel.
I made the first prototype corner decoration as shown on pic 4 and will make a few designs before choosing.
Pic 5 shows .... THE DRAWERS ....! I don't think these were made on a day that the craftsman was feeling particularly proud of his craft! I'll have to make new ones. Interestingly most Chinese furniture does not have side guides for drawers and this piece is no exception. If I'm going to make new drawers I'll go the whole hog and fit guides as well.

fletty

perhaps the apprentice built the drawers

It is looking very good Alan.
Being unfamiliar with Chinese furniture, may I ask a couple of questions.
Is there more to the pointed joints, like perhaps a mortice and tenon?
Or is the shape itself sufficiently strong?
Love the corner joinery and would also be interested to see how that joint was made.
Cheers
SG

Originally Posted by Scribbly Gum

Is there more to the pointed joints, like perhaps a mortice and tenon?

Hi SG, the Chinese mitred corner is a work of art ... and as such I have yet been able to make a reasonable copy of it!
In my own defence, I'll attach a pic from Gustav Eckes book to show how complicated it is in its most advanced form,

fletty

PS, I'll be flying overhead at about 2pm, I'll wave

Holy macaroons Batman!
There looks to be several variations of the joint there - and they all look - shall we say, challenging. Many thanks for posting the pic.
I think that your table is yet a further variation.
It is pea soup here ATM with cloud cover predicted all day.
Sadly you won't see me waving.
SG

I thought 4 years doing a desk was bad enough......... ok circumstances came into play preventing me from doing it.

I see you had a productive weekend in the shed at last. did the new Fien attachements play a roll.

1st table looks great very Asian

2nd table the draw front on the left looks like a replacement had been made some years after the first. Still a good restore has made it come up a treat. Look forward to seeing the completed item.

You might need to practice the joint to see what issues could come up. In the book that you have does it say what to cut out first?

Originally Posted by fletty

Hi SG, the Chinese mitred corner is a work of art ... and as such I have yet been able to make a reasonable copy of it!
In my own defence, I'll attach a pic from Gustav Eckes book to show how complicated it is in its most advanced form,

fletty

PS, I'll be flying overhead at about 2pm, I'll wave

Look further afield Fletty............in a field stacks of timber down the road a bit.

SG & Fletty found this it gives a good layout Chinese Joinery - Sideboard Example 1

I've started to make the replacement drawers and it seemed appropriate to do it with hand tools only ..... but probably mallet and chisel rather than the pick and shovel used by the last drawer maker. The drawer fronts are NSW scented rosewood and the drawer sides are camphor laurel, mostly chosen because of their immediate availability rather than their scent overpowering the now dimishing petrol bouquet.
I have encountered another issue and that is the Zinser amber shellac I used seems to contain a 'varnish' in addition to the shellac and spirit. It has built up to be very thick and glossy, much thicker than I would have expected with shellac only. I have started trialling final finishes on discrete areas. traditional wax even when applied with steel wool didn't cut it back, scandinavian teak oil left a better smoother finish but I am about to try EEE 'cutting' wax next......

fletty

For starters shed must smell devine and at least your head will be clear.

draws look good Alan,

Is it possible the temp may have had some bearing on the thickness of shellac? Wax seperates in colder temps (does this even in diesel) and knowing out your way has been getting down to single figures overnight.

Jars might need a scarf to keep warm

Originally Posted by Christos

You might need to practice the joint to see what issues could come up. In the book that you have does it say what to cut out first?

yep ....... drinking!

fletty

Originally Posted by fletty

yep ....... drinking!

fletty

Like that'll ever happen