Thread: Kitchen cabinet small with leadlight

Fresh mint green chalk paint is going onto the panels. The frame work is getting an enamel cream. The doors will probably get a lemon matching the original interior. For the damaged / missing leadlight panel a blackboard panel will be coming. The lower locks are to be replaced with something easier and safer for children. Yet to decide what goes on the missing ventilation areas on the sides at the bottom.

This is meant to be a quick, easy fun job but being careful with the sanding can be frustrating. Really wish the leadight had all been there broken or not. I hope to post the final photo's on the weekend.

End with fresh mint green and cream enamel.jpg Front with fresh mint green and cream enamel.jpg Front with fresh mint green and lemon yellow.jpg

Good looking cabinet. Copper/aluminium flyscreen mesh from the big green shed? Perforated metal mesh off-cuts from metal fabricating business?

I checked the bronze out and a bit expensive for this little one but may be used for the better quality ones if I don't go for the original holy sheet.

Not to upset at the colours but learning about so many mistakes. Each of these I have stripped putty (or whatever other name) off has revealed so many harsh scratches.

Tri colour progress.jpg

Couldn't leave the harsh scratches alone so back to basics and stripped it properly on the front.
Front stripped again.jpg

All my painting did was to highlight the terrible mess on the wood. I sanded it back again. Painting was easier and nicer on the properly sanded surfaces. Two layers of paint and then satin clear to seal it.Stripped the hinges and handles. Then painted them with black gloss enamel. Left these to bake in the sun and the results were great. Still got to resolve what to do with the bottom locks that weren't working when I got it.
Have been planning to put blackboard in the missing glass area. Still considering the side sections at the bottom and being a low cost job (now sure how I work this out) I'm thinking of just framing some plyboard and painting it to match the rest. Plyboard cost will be $0 compared to original screen type.

Painted.jpg

Near enough is not good enough. The door plyboard panels lifted and so SWMBO said it had to be replaced. Tried the mallet but finally learnt to reverse the panel clamps and use to expand doors apart. Tried cutting plyboard the other day and it splintered badly so this time I used a knife to cut the thin face first.
Door new panel.jpg

It looks like you had 80% of the original glass for that pane.
If you are capable of achieving that finish with the cabinet then restoring the lead light is easily possible. Lead came and new glass is not difficult to work with it just requires patience and attention to detail, we can see you already have the main requirements.

Door panels replaced and new locks installed. Time to cut some glass for the top and then final close in the bottom sides.
New doors bottom.jpg

Originally Posted by droog

It looks like you had 80% of the original glass for that pane.
If you are capable of achieving that finish with the cabinet then restoring the lead light is easily possible. Lead came and new glass is not difficult to work with it just requires patience and attention to detail, we can see you already have the main requirements.

I like what you are saying and now think I will pass the other leadlight onto the new owner when it's sold. For now it has helped learn a lot ready for the bigger ones. Haven't found it easy to get second hand glass but think I'll start looking into this and a leadlighting course.

Thank you for the feedback and comment. It will be nice to see a new owner take it and use it again.

It's been too long but I finally cut some old glass. So the damaged leadlight removed (mainly because so much was missing) and clear float glass inserted. Finally I broke down and actually bought something new for this job, the latches and the little screws for the handles All replacement wood or plyboard has been from other similar age furniture. I wanted this to be recycled as much as possible. I only need to add some recyled plyboard for the top and then a clean before it's sold. Just a note on the paint, most of it was all mis-tints sold cheap.

I hope the next job is easier but this has helped me be ready for the other cabinets and the 6 drawer filing cabinet.

Glass cutting.jpgGlass in.jpgcomplete 02.jpglocks.jpg

Happy to report this sold with in minutes of posting on line to someone from a drought affected area so I'm glad it was so cheap It's returning to an old kitchen where a bigger unit wouldn't fit. The owner was going to sell the bigger unit (probably for a lot more so even better in the recycling furniture world.)

Hi droog, Just to let you know the new owner was delighted to get the original leadlight that I had replaced with glass. He gets to use the cupboard now in his kitchen but can have the leadlight repaired when he can afford it.