Thread: Regret grain filling with timbermate. Options?

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

My grandad was a grainer in the 1920s, he used to be able to make wood look like marble and marble like wood according to my dad. His tools were handed down to my dad then to me. Its a lost art form.

Do you mean that the tools don't work properly any more?

Interesting. What is it with people that because They can't do it nobody can? There are still craftsmen out there. Granted, not as thick on the ground as they once were. I hate the term "lost trade." It is just we haven't met them yet. Lost to us maybe but who knows who is out there?
A few years back a chap came to me with a Purdy shot gun that had suffered a deep, long, diagonal scratch to the face of the stock. The gun had been placed behind the front seat of a Landrover on an English pheasant shoot. Some big dood decided he needed the seat pushed back and managed to run the metal seat rail up the stock. It was hideous. My first thought was, "Out of my league." I conveyed this to my prospective customer and he understood. "Do you know anybody?" "Well I did, but he is long gone. You will be hard pressed to find some one these days. Afterall it is a Purdy and should be treated accordingly." He left, taking the shotty with him. My mind went back to those days with Jack (no this is not a poem.) I remembered he had a young son. I wondered what became of him? Chip off the old block maybe? I grabbed the phone book and looked to see if I could find the name.....Jackpot! A quick phone call and I had the right man. Yes, he had done his time with dad and he would have a look at the gun. We both agreed there was nothing to loose. If the job was not up to scratch (pardon the pun) a new stock would be the next port of call.
Long story short. The stock came back perfect. Neither I nor the owner could find a mark. His dad would have been proud.
Nothing nicer than meeting a craftsman better than you.

Originally Posted by rustynail

Interesting. What is it with people that because They can't do it nobody can? There are still craftsmen out there. .....

Off topic, Rusty.

The topic is what Rogerwilco can reasonably be expected to do. Stretch his talents, sure, encourage him to learn new skills, sure, but still restrained by reality.

Regretably, Roger is not a Rolls Royce trained carriage builder, and most of us are not in the top 5% of the various craft spectrums. And he is not considering sub-contracting that job - defeats his DIY ethic.

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Do you mean that the tools don't work properly any more?

Unfortunately I don't have them anymore. I left them behind when I came to Australia from the UK, though they looked to be ok last I saw them, badger brushes, various strange looking tools and even a couple of pads of gold leaf.

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Regretably, Roger is not a Rolls Royce trained carriage builder...

No, but we're talking about the back of a cabinet door, not a walnut instrument panel in a Roller. I doubt the same level of skill is required for both jobs.

Originally Posted by rustynail

There are still craftsmen out there. Granted, not as thick on the ground as they once were. I hate the term "lost trade."

I think you might have been referring to my comment "Lost art form". If you look up the definition:

noun. : something usually requiring some skill that not many people do any more. Writing letters has become something of a lost art.

I think the phrase holds people in higher esteem and are admired more than those that do not. I know that everything I do, whether it be drawing, painting, wood working, a computer can do it or will be able to do it in the future however it will never be able to do it with a human element or the humanity of a person.

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Off topic, Rusty.

The topic is what Rogerwilco can reasonably be expected to do. Stretch his talents, sure, encourage him to learn new skills, sure, but still restrained by reality.

Regretably, Roger is not a Rolls Royce trained carriage builder, and most of us are not in the top 5% of the various craft spectrums. And he is not considering sub-contracting that job - defeats his DIY ethic.

The topic is fixing tear out with filler. Not what an individual may or may not be capable of. I could not give a flying .... what Rogerwilco's qualifications are. This is a simple project requiring some trial and error tinting. The nice thing about Timbermate is it's ease of removal. He can muck with it to his hearts content. Repeat the process as many times as he wishes until satisfied. If he is unsuccessful he will at least know his limitations. Nothing lost. No damage done. At the moment he is none the wiser. No more skilled than when he woke up this morning thanks to people telling him, "Unfortunately you are not a Rolls Royce trained carriage builder." He doesn't need to be.

Guys, relax!

I scrubbed it out a week ago, and the project is finished! Check the pics over here Blackwood Credenza

In the end, it’s not a detail I was willing to sweat balls over. I’m probably the only person who will ever know it’s there, being the inside of a cabinet used occasionally. After seal coats and lacquer, it’s hard to see unless you’re looking for it. I can live with this blemish, especially since it is one of only a few imperfections in this build. I like to achieve ‘well executed’ work, but I don’t aim for perfection.

Originally Posted by rustynail

Interesting. What is it with people that because They can't do it nobody can? There are still craftsmen out there. Granted, not as thick on the ground as they once were. I hate the term "lost trade." It is just we haven't met them yet. Lost to us maybe but who knows who is out there?
A few years back a chap came to me with a Purdy shot gun that had suffered a deep, long, diagonal scratch to the face of the stock. The gun had been placed behind the front seat of a Landrover on an English pheasant shoot. Some big dood decided he needed the seat pushed back and managed to run the metal seat rail up the stock. It was hideous. My first thought was, "Out of my league." I conveyed this to my prospective customer and he understood. "Do you know anybody?" "Well I did, but he is long gone. You will be hard pressed to find some one these days. Afterall it is a Purdy and should be treated accordingly." He left, taking the shotty with him. My mind went back to those days with Jack (no this is not a poem.) I remembered he had a young son. I wondered what became of him? Chip off the old block maybe? I grabbed the phone book and looked to see if I could find the name.....Jackpot! A quick phone call and I had the right man. Yes, he had done his time with dad and he would have a look at the gun. We both agreed there was nothing to loose. If the job was not up to scratch (pardon the pun) a new stock would be the next port of call.
Long story short. The stock came back perfect. Neither I nor the owner could find a mark. His dad would have been proud.
Nothing nicer than meeting a craftsman better than you.

An example of a mostly lost art. When I was at the British Museum, I got to see first-hand the vase that is attached. They say there is a handful of people today that could even attempt it. It was made 2500 years ago. So, to say it's a lost art is an understatement. I also saw a 12 foot in diameter pink granite bowl made about 4000 years ago in Egypt. It was a perfect partial sphere inside and out. Making a 12 bowl with an inside perfect partial sphere would be dead easy, but outside. That would be bloody hard even today. You won't find a lot of companies that could pull that off today. When I worked in the UK a few years back I'd go to interviews with restorations companies, and I kept being told at job interviews: "we don't see your sort of skills anymore, please come work for us". That statement perplexed me. In my head I'm thinking: This is the UK, your entire country is a museum, how could you not have people that can do old world woodworking... Now I don't think I'm some sort of phenom by any stretch, but I am really good at what I do, but sadly there's not that many following up. The hand crafts seem to be, sadly, dying - quickly.

Originally Posted by rogerwilco

Guys, relax!

I scrubbed it out a week ago, and the project is finished! Check the pics over here Blackwood Credenza

In the end, it’s not a detail I was willing to sweat balls over. I’m probably the only person who will ever know it’s there, being the inside of a cabinet used occasionally. After seal coats and lacquer, it’s hard to see unless you’re looking for it. I can live with this blemish, especially since it is one of only a few imperfections in this build. I like to achieve ‘well executed’ work, but I don’t aim for perfection.

Are you f&*(in serious. It's the inside of the cabinet door???? I would have said, who cares. Blast the clear coat on and don't worry about it.

EDIT: Should have read the post better. You did say that! LOL

Originally Posted by The Spin Doctor

The hand crafts seem to be, sadly, dying - quickly.

The only thing I would have to disagree with. If it was dying we would see less and less arts and craft shops... Which were not.

Originally Posted by The Spin Doctor

An example of a mostly lost art. When I was at the British Museum, I got to see first-hand the vase that is attached. They say there is a handful of people today that could even attempt it. It was made 2500 years ago.

Are you sure of that Spin ?
Sorry if I'm being picky but you may be thinking of this darker one on the right. Its almost 2000 years old and original.
Here's a link to it. The Portland Vase.

Portland Vase - Wikipedia



mid_00429930_001a.jpg 396px-Portland_Vase_BM_Gem4036_n4a.jpg
That Blue one looks a lot Later. Or too perfect ? A Wedgewood copy possibly ? 1760 something or later again.
Or do you have a link to that first one stating its a lot older and I'm wrong ? .

More info on a Wedgewood copy .

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/187784

Wow , what a piece . Specially the original .

Rob