Chinese mahjong table..... a restoration?

**fletty** · 11th July 2018, 11:19 PM

We’ve all seen some miracles of restoration on this forum but the level of skill required might deter some from having a go at it themselves? So, to demonstrate that sometimes it can be MUCH easier, I introduce to you a mahjong table and chairs that have been ‘abusively stored’ since we returned from China more than 20 years ago. The table and chairs were stored in and outside various sheds and had been moved, separated and reunited many times. I vacuumed all of the dust and droppings off all surfaces and found, to my amazement, that there were no mechanical repairs required. Chinese joinery is unbelievably robust! The next process was to check the finish and a few non fair-wear-and-tear injuries required staining in various appropriate colours, scuffed shellac finish repaired with Restor-a-finish and, in some cases, the shellac softened with Resto-a-finish was drawn over the stain repairs. All pieces were then cleaned and oiled with Orange Oil which visually softens the differences within the finish and imparts a lovely sheen ..... and scent. The ‘art’ is to respond to the furniture itself. After a while, with a few techniques under your belt, the piece will tell you what to do.

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The whole ensemble was moved inside after I may have claimed that I’d been working on it for days

....

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..... but I’ve got to admit that it doesn’t look like it is the result of only a few hours work?

fletty

**Pat** · 11th July 2018, 11:21 PM

So, what are you going to do for an assembly/storage table in the middle of the shed?

**fletty** · 11th July 2018, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by Pat

So, what are you going to do for an assembly/storage table in the middle of the shed?

Sssshhhh, I’ve bought another Chinese cabinet!

**Pac man** · 13th July 2018, 12:22 AM

Where did you end up finding the 4th chair - I thought it was lost?

**fletty** · 13th July 2018, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by Pac man

Where did you end up finding the 4th chair - I thought it was lost?

It was ‘found’ in Storage Area B3 (= 3rd bedroom) and apparently there’s a beautiful Chinese wardrobe and ‘cracked ice’ desk still in there

!

fletty

**Fuzzie** · 13th July 2018, 06:53 PM

What I don't understand about this style of Chinese furniture is how they make the frame and panel table tops with next to no allowance for expansion of the panel.

I've got a 1m square elm coffee table that is frame and panel with NO expansion margin. Very occasionally one corner tries to open up, but only by a couple of mm. That mahjong table looks like it might have a mm or two gap now and I presume it is at its driest for the year.

**fletty** · 13th July 2018, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by Fuzzie

What I don't understand about this style of Chinese furniture is how they make the frame and panel table tops with next to no allowance for expansion of the panel.

I've got a 1m square elm coffee table that is frame and panel with NO expansion margin. Very occasionally one corner tries to open up, but only by a couple of mm. That mahjong table looks like it might have a mm or two gap now and I presume it is at its driest for the year.

Hi Fuzz, I’m lucky enough to have a copy of Gustav Ecke’s book on Chinese furniture which goes someway towards explaining the dark arts of Chinese furniture design. One thing I have noticed though is just how thin the table tops are and how the slats even taper in thickness further towards their ends? It seems to me that there is insufficient mass of expanding timber to force the incredibly strong outer frame apart?
I once repaired a Chinese table (and I think I posted a WIP on the forum?) and I needed to pull the table top apart to replace some of the slats that had split. Long story told short....... I couldn’t! I ended up routing the splits out of the table top, replacing with new splints sprung in to each end ...... and it still looks good!
There is a lot written on the subject but still much more to learn.

fletty

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