Mahogany Veneer Drawers

NZStu · #1 15th Jan 2012, 01:35 PM

I've acquired a set of Mid-Century style drawers made by a New Zealand manufacturer called Airest, from 1970 or so. Overall condition is pretty sound, but they need some cosmetic restoration.

Construction is mahogany veneer on particle board, with pine for drawer sides etc. I've established that the original finish is shellac (see first pic, where I've rubbed the top with metho to see what I'm dealing with).

Now, there is what looks like a water stain or something on the top (second pic). Before I get stuck in removing the rest of the shellac and sanding the surface, does anyone have any hints for dealing with stains like that on veneer?

There are also a few small chips in the veneer here and there. My plan with those is to source a little bit of appropriate veneer and splice it in. Finish will simply be more shellac (never used it before, but have been wanting an excuse to give it a go - just like this!)

Any hints or tips for this little project would be gratefully received.

NZStu · #2 15th Jan 2012, 05:37 PM

Right. I've stripped and sanded the top of the carcase. The water stain didn't go too deep and is now only faintly visible. I obviously don't want to push my luck and risk sanding through the veneer trying to remove it totally.

As I suppose is pretty typical for the era, the shellac finish has an opaque reddy-orange pigment in it, which obscures a lot of the grain in the wood. I shan't be replicating that!

NZStu · #3 31st Jan 2012, 05:02 PM

Finished them. First try at using shellac, and was pretty impressed at how easy it is to use. The mahogany came up quite nicely I thought, once the red oxide grain filler was removed. Also did a few patch repairs by splicing in a scraps of veneer.

petersemple · #4 31st Jan 2012, 06:15 PM

Looking nice