Thread: Antique School Desk, help?

that isnt a crack but a join in the timber panels i'd un screw the top from the body plus seat and the other piece of timber .get the steel frame sand blasted and powder coated black.clean the join up glue and clamp just watch out when you put the top back on and re screw the screws might want to go back in to old holes pulling the timber apart again.the reason i say this is i suspect the top has shrunk in size causing it to split .some of the real old blokes might be able to give you an idea how old it is i'm 39 and i never sat in a desk like that!

Tourniquet, please don't remove the scribble, it is history! If you restore it TOO much it just looks like a new schooldesk and has little 'character'.
My recommendation (and I have done this myself) is unscrew the top, clamp it back together (without gluing) and rescrew it. If the gap doesn't reopen too much then leave it. If the gap reopens then reglue and clamp the joint.
Then use a refinisher (here in Australia I use Howards Restore-a-finish), this 'remelts' the current finish and repairs many of the smaller cracks and dings. I would then wait a few days for the refinisher to set and then wax and polish it, metal and all.
You will then have a real piece of folk history that is ready for another 100 years of use.
Fletty

Yep what Fletty has said......I'd try to identify the desk as well. thoroughly check for a makers mark etc. Government desks sometimes had numbers stamped on them.

That desk reminds me of the ones when I was a kid at a Catholic school. From memory (a bit laughable really) the public school ones were bigger.

Just realised that your not from around these parts.......The above advise regarding Government schools etc probably doesn't apply...........you guys all went to missionary schools run by Jesuits didn't you?

I used to sit at a desk exactly the same in grade 1 and 2
grade two were double (two people) desk and ours had a crack just like that
a bugger to write on
I think (know) it happens because kids sit (jump) on the edge of the desk when teacher is out of the room.
Just give it a good rub over, the split is part of its history and you will need to straighten bar if fixing, and spend time on finding out its history.
rod

You bunch of youngins, as I sat in such a set in my senior year as well as after I began teaching I had students in such desks. Geeze I are old!!!

Maple was the choice wood here in the USA Don't know of Aussie Depends on your preferance as to weather or not you strip the chewing gum and scribble or not. Value is set by market so do you like a dollar or less difference in removal or not.